


The Many Doors of Níu Heimar

by nixajane



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (2012), Thor (2011)
Genre: Action, Alternate Universe - Canon, Brothers, Community: avengerkink, Dramedy, Good!Loki, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Overprotective Brother, Romance, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-06
Updated: 2014-02-23
Packaged: 2017-11-07 00:52:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 77,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/425136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nixajane/pseuds/nixajane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the weeks before Thor's coronation, Loki almost dies, not once, but twice. (An AU in which events conspire to keep Loki from the choices he made in <i>Thor</i>, a war is on the horizon and the chosen battlefield is Earth, and the Avengers assemble with an extra teammate and one less villain to fight).</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I originally started this story for [this prompt](http://avengerkink.livejournal.com/5102.html?thread=5175278#t5175278), but it's kind of taken on a life of its own and it's ending up a bit longer than I planned ( meaning it's already roughly over 16K and I haven't made it past the first line of the prompt yet ). But Loki and Steve will eventually be on the same planet, I promise! Still, the "Slow Build" tag is no joke, folks.
> 
> Also I did cover art! This is my first time doing a digital painting as cover art, but I got the image in my head and had to draw it out. It is pretty big, so I just included a link below to save those of us still stuck on dial-up (like me)!

[The Many Doors of Níu Heimar Cover Art](http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/laytoncolt/984770/28908/original.jpg)

_In the weeks before Thor's coronation, Loki almost dies, not once, but twice._

_There is a rite of passage among the warriors of the Aesir; the quest for the sword of Surtur. Loki has never understood the use of such things, and has told Thor as much, more than once. The quest is an empty gesture because no one ever actually finds the sword, and warriors only go looking for it in order to say that they had looked. Over the years it had become more symbolic than anything else, and therefore not a proper way to measure skill. Somehow Loki still ends up beside Thor as they walk past Heimdall to the Bifrost, with Thor set on going to Jotunheim._

_Heimdall lets them go because Thor commands it, and for once Loki says nothing. Heimdall watches Loki carefully though, his eyes as impenetrable as stones, for all that he can see. Heimdall knows this is a mistake, and knows that Loki knows it too, but Heimdall will not speak against the son of the King._

_Not the firstborn, in any case; and Loki will not speak because he is hoping they will be caught._

_Honestly, he couldn't have planned it any better himself. He has been plotting for weeks to lead Thor into trouble, or rather, plotting to have Thor lead _him_ into trouble—not from any malice, but because he can see the ruins that Asgard will become beneath Thor's rule. He loves his brother more than anything, but he does not let that love blind him; he knows Thor is not yet fit to be King. _

_Odin cannot see his brother's faults, and Loki knows better than to attempt to point them out directly. Now, it appears he will not have to. Thor is crashing headlong into enemy territory on a quest long since forbidden without any prompting from him, and whether Thor finds the sword or does not, Odin will not be able to let such a trespass go without some kind of punishment._

_It seemed to be the perfect solution, Thor will not be made King before he is ready and Loki will not have to take any action he might have come to regret._

__"Loki!" __

_The problem, of course, with plans that appear perfect, is that it only means you will never be able to guess what will go wrong. As an illusionist, he should have known better._

_Still, Loki finds the sword for Thor. He was already there, and it was a puzzle, so why not? He knows the stories, and so he takes those long-remembered words and lays them out across the landscape like a map._

__"Brother, please, open your eyes!" __

_It does not take him long to find the mountain that Surtur had stood upon as he died—and the sword is there, beneath the ice, just where Loki had said it would be._

_As are the frost giants that guard it._

* * * * * 

Thor's hand is burning, his skin red and peeling, though he hardly notices. He should not have let Loki enter the cavern first, but Thor did not know the way himself. He had given up on his own quest almost before he began, the first moment that he looked out on the wasteland that was Jotunheim.

Ice covered everything, in every direction, white and cold and dead. He does not know how even those that live here can find their way through it. 

Loki had merely rolled his eyes before pointing out a mountain that looked to Thor just as the same as all the rest. 

They had made the long trek to the mountain, Loki absently-mindedly casting a spell to keep them warm. The sword is encased in ice when they find it, laid out like it is on display. Thor cannot tear his eyes from it; in appearance, it is not so different from any other sword, but the power thrums around it, ringing in his ears like some kind of warning bell. 

He had wondered, at the time, how much more Loki must feel it, if even Thor could sense the magic it held within. 

"It's dark magic," Loki had warned.

"And a strange place to find it," Thor had agreed. The sword was full of fire and power. "It's useless here with all this ice."

Loki had merely laughed, because he always understood these things far better than Thor. "Brother," he said, "why do you think father left it here?"

Loki still reaches out a hand when he approaches it, melting the ice around the sword with a spell until it rests atop the block of ice, just calling to be held. Thor sets his hammer on the ground, and reaches out to touch it. 

Thor is so enthralled with that sword, that he does not notice the two tall blue figures, so entrenched in the ice they look like part of the wall. Their bright red eyes follow him and Loki both, and the sound of the cracking ice is all the warning that they have before they're free. 

One of the giants grabs for Loki, just as Thor grabs Surtur's sword. Thor turns to strike at the giant, his mind full of all the stories of the damage that can be caused by a single touch of their skin—but what happens to Loki is not in any story he has ever heard. 

Loki's skin does not blacken and burn, but colors to match the creature that holds him, a wash of blue traveling up his arm, to his neck, to his face, and finally to his familiar green eyes; staining them as red as the rest of him is blue. 

Thor isn't sure who is more surprised; himself, Loki, or the frost giant that holds him—but they all start moving again, at the very same time. 

Thor lets out a war cry and swings the sword at the giant, feeling its power surge up and out. Fire blazes out from the blade, striking the giant and razing across his back. The flames grow hot around the hilt of the sword, licking at Thor's hand and wrist, though he does not dare let it go. 

In front of him, the giant holds onto Loki with just as much determination, his free arm covering quickly in ice though half of him is burning—he thrusts forward, piercing Loki straight through. Loki doesn't even cry out, just continues to stare at his own hand as though he believes the body he is in is no longer his. 

The giant continues to try and cover himself in ice, but it cannot save him from burning. The flames grow unnaturally hot, burning the giant into ash. Thor pulls his own sword from its sheath and replaces it with Surtur's. The moment it is sheathed its power calms and sleeps again. 

Thor reaches out and pulls his hammer to his hand, before grabbing Loki's arm to drag him away from the burning giant. He does not chase the second frost giant when he runs, instead he carefully lowers his brother to the ground. "Loki!" 

Loki gasps, pressing his eyes shut, and Thor clenches down on that small feeling of relief to be spared that accusing crimson gaze. 

"Brother, what's happening?" Thor pleads, hesitantly reaching out. Loki's flesh does not burn him when he finally touches his brother's cool skin, and the blue fades once more, as though Loki were a looking glass—taking his cues from whoever touched him last. 

"Loki? Loki, what did you do? Was that your magic?" 

Loki has always been a gifted sorcerer, and had long ago surpassed his teachers. He has been known to change his shape before, though no one had ever gotten him to admit to it. But Thor can't imagine why he would choose to be a Jotun, of all things. 

Loki's eyes open halfway, and he frowns at the ice lodged in his side. With a wave of his hand, it dissolves into mist. Thor curses and pushes down on the wound as the blood begins to flow faster. "You should not have done that," Thor protests, trying to remember what he had learned of treating battle wounds. 

"I can't heal it," Loki says, frowning. "Did you get the sword?" 

"Forget about the sword," Thor snaps. "We need to get you out of here." 

Loki's eyes search until he finds the sword at Thor's hip, and then he closes them again. "Thor, you need to go home," he said.

"What are you talking about?" Thor demands, moving to pick him up. 

Loki shoves at him weakly. "I can't go back!" he screams. "Don't you understand what this means?" 

"It does not matter," Thor says. "Whatever happened, at least you were not burned. We need to get to the Bifrost site and get you to the healers." 

Loki stares at his now pale hand, his mind spinning around the possibilities so quickly that his wound has practically gone numb. He has little doubt that Thor will be true to his word—Thor is many things, but unlike him, Thor is no liar. He will not leave Loki, he will stay and fight, and he will lose.

He had wanted Thor to be chastised for once, for Odin to punish him for being foolish, but he doesn't want Thor to end up dead. Loki has his suspicions that there is nothing that can save him now, whether he recovers from his wounds or not, but he might have just enough strength left to make sure he doesn't take Thor with him. 

Loki pictures the Bifrost site, and he reaches out and to grab Thor's wrist. The universe pulls them inside out and then tosses them out again, tumbling out onto the freezing snow beneath the Bifrost. 

Thor gasps behind him. "Loki, what—?" he asks. "I didn't know you could do that." 

Loki tries to push himself to his feet. He has only teleported short-range in the past, and never with someone else along for the ride. "I didn't either," he says. "You'd better call for Heimdall." 

Loki forces himself to his feet as Thor starts shouting behind him. He presses a hand to his side, whispering a quick spell to slow the bleeding, though he is too weak to attempt anything more delicate. He looks across the ice and he can see the landscape is _moving_ ; thousands of frost giants approach, appearing like specks of swirling snow from this distance. 

But frost giants have speed if nothing else, and that will not be the case for long. 

"What is taking so long?" Loki demands, turning to look at Thor. 

"He does not answer!" Thor growls. 

Loki looks back to the approaching giants. "You can stop shouting then," he says. "He has decided the risk is too great. We are on our own." 

"He would not abandon us," Thor insists, moving to support Loki as he sways on his feet. 

"Do you never listen to his parting speech, brother?" Loki asks. "It is not merely ceremonial, Heimdall means every word he says. He will not risk Asgard by opening the Bifrost to us now." 

Thor turns to glare at the approaching giants. "Then I will kill them all, and he will open it," Thor says, spinning his hammer in one hand and moving in front of his brother. 

"Have you still learned nothing?" Loki asks, watching calmly as the giants grow closer. "That is how you start a war, it is not how you win one." 

"You sound like father," Thor scoffs. 

"Thor, this is not a battle we can win," Loki tells him softly. 

Something in Loki's tone draws Thor's attention back to him, and he rushes forward just in time to halt his brother's collapse. "Loki!" Thor says, trying to keep one eye on the giants, and one on Loki. "Just stay behind me, I will take care of them soon enough." 

"You plan to single-handedly take on an army?" Loki asks, leaning against Thor, despite wishing he was able to pull away. 

"You have some other suggestion?" Thor asks. "Can you take us somewhere else? I do not wish to hide, but if we can hold our ground somewhere until you are well enough—" 

"I do not have the strength to attempt it again," Loki says. "We could end up in the ice."

"Then I have no choice," Thor says. "I must fight." 

"Let me speak to them," Loki says. 

Thor laughs lightly. "You plan to talk them into submission?" he asks. "Well, I suppose if anyone could do it, it would be you." 

"You must let me attempt it," Loki insists. 

Thor is about to answer, but another voice reaches them from across the ice, delicately phrased but sharp enough to slice through the distance like an arrow. 

"You have come a long way to die, Asgardians." 

Loki straightens, looking up to meet King Laufey's eyes, but Thor holds him back when he goes to step forward.

Laufey watches them carefully, his own gaze moving towards Loki's blood-stained side. "You have taken that which is not yours," Laufey says, turning to Thor. 

"We will, of course, return the sword," Loki says at once. 

"Loki," Thor growls. 

Loki does not look at him. "Give it back," he says simply. 

Thor reluctantly unsheathes the sword, before angrily tossing it at Laufey's feet. The King's army tenses, moving a few steps forward, their red gazes all on Thor. 

Except for Laufey, who keeps his gaze on Loki. 

"You have trespassed on our world and killed one of my guards," Laufey says evenly. "For any normal Asgardian, this would mean death. But to kill two princes, that would mean war." 

"And if you were to kill only one?" Loki asks. 

"What do you suggest?" Laufey asks curiously. 

"If you kill Thor you will have war, there will be no stopping that," Loki says. "But I understand your need for retribution, and I offer myself." 

Thor tightens his grip on Loki's arm, angrily tugging him back a step to glare up at Laufey. "Asgard will hold to no such bargain," he shouts. "If any further harm comes to my brother, I assure you I will see to the destruction of this forsaken world myself." 

"Then I see no reason to spare you, son of Odin," Laufey says to Thor. 

"You may spare him because Thor does not rule Asgard, and Odin will not allow him to do any such thing, not on account of me," Loki says. 

Laufey pauses, watching Loki intently. "You know then, what you are?" he asks. 

"I know that Asgard will not go to war over me," Loki says. "And neither, I think, will you." 

"You are speaking madness, Loki," Thor hisses, holding him tightly. 

Loki casts one last spell, sending Thor crashing a few feet behind him. He turns back to the King, determined to stay on his feet. "It is a good deal," Loki says. "You get to kill a prince, and avoid a war. You will not get a better offer." 

Loki is instantly surrounded by Laufey's army, and he can hear Thor shouting in rage. He hopes he will hold his temper, and not undo all of his work. 

"You are so eager to die?" Laufey asks, kneeling down until he and Loki are eye to eye. 

"I am beginning to suspect it is the purpose for which I was intended," Loki says calmly. "And to be quite honest, I am not sure I will survive my wounds as it is." 

Laufey laughs. "So it is a deal in which you offer nothing you were not already going to lose, but gain much you would not otherwise have. What is in it for me?" 

"Your people are desolate, and you have never recovered from the last war," Loki says. "Whatever I truly am, in name I am still a prince of your enemy. Do not pretend that you do not want revenge. I offer you a way to get some semblance of it without entering into another war that you know you cannot win." 

"You speak well, little prince," Laufey says. "I will have your life, but I see no reason to spare him his. Kill the Thunderer!" 

"No," Loki says, power building up in his hands as he uses up the last of his strength. He turns to strike at Laufey, but the King strikes him first. Loki falls back against the ice, going still. 

"Loki!" Thor shouts, but before he can move the Bifrost opens above them—light crashes down around them, sending the giants scuttling out of it back to the snow, and leaving Loki and Thor alone in the spotlight, until Odin appears before them on Sleipnir.

"Laufey!" Odin shouts. "Let's end this." 

"Your boy came here to steal from me, All-Father," Laufey says, standing up straight to meet Odin's eyes where he sits upon his horse. "I suspect it is a trait that he learned from you."

"The Casket was taken as a spoil of war," Odin says calmly. "I was within my rights." 

"But that was not all you took," Laufey shouts. 

"Father," Thor says, kneeling beside Loki to pull him in his arms. "We must stop them!" 

"Silence, boy!" Odin yells, keeping his eyes on Laufey. "You may have already killed one of my sons. Your sword has been returned, let no more blood spill over this." 

"If you leave now we will hold to the truce," Laufey says. "But the injured princeling stays with us." 

"So be it," Odin says. "You leave me no choice." 

"Father!" Thor protests at once. 

Odin does not look at Thor. "We will go to war," he states firmly. Then he slams his spear down upon the ground, and is pulled back up into the Bifrost. 

Along with both of his sons.


	2. Part I

Loki doesn't expect to wake up. 

The events on Jotumheim circle through his mind, a mess for which he knows he is every bit as guilty as Thor. Thor, at least, had the defense of ignorance. 

"Loki?" He doesn't open his eyes as he feels the soft hand across his forehead. "Please look at me." 

Loki wants to ignore the voice, but he _can't_. Years and years of ingrained response win out, and he opens his eyes, turning to slowly look at his mother. She smiles at him brightly, though he can see there are tears in her eyes. 

"There you are," she says softly. "You had me worried." 

Loki frowns as he realizes he's on Asgard, in the healing room, the healing field humming around him like an insect's buzz. He looks down at his side to find it stitched up and covered with a bandage. "What happened?" Loki asks, attempting to sit up. 

Frigga gently pushes him back to the bed. "You must not move from the healing field, you very nearly died. A blow that deep from a frost giant is nearly always fatal—" she trails off, her expression going guarded. "But you are going to be fine." 

Fatal, Loki thinks, it had been fatal. He has seen friends fall at the hands of frost giants before, though only very rarely—their ice was not merely ice, once it had taken hold it would not let go, spreading instead like a disease. Loki had known that he would not survive that injury, because no Asgardian could have survived it. 

He does not know what that makes him. 

"How did I get here? Where is Thor?" Loki asks hesitantly. 

Frigga goes ridged, her smile freezing in place. "He is safe," she says simply. "Your father brought you both home." 

Loki frowns, because if Thor were not injured, he would usually be at Loki's side. That was the way of their relationship—they would bicker and fight, but if one was in trouble, the other was always there. "I should speak with him," Loki says. 

"I will see if he can visit you later," Frigga says. "He is with your father now. They are discussing what happened." 

Loki can read behind Frigga's careful words, and it hits him then, _of course_. Thor being punished had, after all, been the entire point of his involvement in this misadventure in the first place. Now it sits uneasily with him, because he suspects this disaster has far more to do with his own actions than Thor's. 

"I should see them both," Loki says. "Will there be war?" 

"Almost certainly," Frigga says. 

"It is my fault," Loki says. 

"It is not your fault alone," Frigga says. "There is blame enough to go around. You need only think of getting better. Leave the rest to us." 

"What will father do?" Loki asks. 

"He will do what he must," Frigga says. 

"For someone who knows so much," Loki says, "you say very little." 

"And you could stand to learn from my example," she says dryly. "It might keep you out of such mischief." She smiles bravely, but it soon flickers out, her eyes going distant. "But there is something that I must say, though it might be better were I to take my own advice." 

Loki nods, watching her carefully. "Alright," he says. 

"As you know, I am cursed with prophecy, but do not tell what I know," she says. "Too often if I interfere things will not go as they should, and end up worse rather than better, no matter my intent." 

"I understand. It is why I have never asked," Loki says. "You owe me nothing." 

"I know very well that I do," Frigga says quietly. "You are my child, and you will always be. I fear that I have not been the best mother to you." 

Loki frowns, reaching out to grasp her hand. "Do not say that," he says. "You are the only person in my life I have no complaint against." 

Frigga laughs, brushing back his hair. "I have always thought that you were like me," she says. "We stand back and consider while others fight, and so often we go overlooked. It gives us a power that your father and your brother cannot understand, and a strength they do not see." 

"Mother," Loki starts. 

"Shh," she whispers, grasping his hands as she leans close. "You are the only one I have never seen clearly, and for this reason you must let me speak. Everyone else has their paths laid out ahead of them, their steps already set in stone. You are different, Loki, you are a labyrinth." 

Frigga's eyes are vibrant, swirling whirlpools, and Loki cannot look away. She clenches his hands tighter, her voice taking on a distant inflection that he hardly recognizes as belonging to her. "You have so many ways to turn. You can be anything you choose, and you can choose anything. I have seen you terrified, enraged, broken and mad. I have seen you laughing, content and in love.

"There is one man that crosses your every path, and you will know him by the tone of his voice. This is the deciding divide; whether you make of him an enemy, or take him for a friend." 

Frigga releases his hands abruptly, pushing herself back in her chair, her eyes clearing to their normal bright violet. "I tell you this so that you know that you are loved," she says desperately, "and that there are others yet that will grow to love you if only they are given the chance." 

Loki swallows, nodding as his eyes seek shelter from her knowing gaze. Loki has always thought his life hard, to be blessed with such foresight in the company of those who rarely think; Thor barrels through life without ever stopping, but Loki catalogues the outcomes from every single move, the possible consequences of every action. 

He can only guess, but she knows. He can't imagine how much worse it must be for her, though she has never made others suffer for her sight the way he knows he has. 

It occurs to him then that she must know what he is, that she has probably always known. He could ask her now, and he knows she will tell him the truth. 

But he is not known as the prince of lies for nothing; and he can live with this lie a little longer still.

* * * * *

Frigga sits at her son's side until he is deeply asleep, and then she carefully slips from the room. Odin is pacing the hall outside of the healing chambers, though he's made no move to enter them.

He comes to a stop when he sees her. "How is he?" he asks. 

"If you truly wish the answer, I suggest you seek it for yourself," Frigga says coolly. 

"You are angry with me," Odin says wearily. 

"We have lied to our sons all their lives, and very nearly lost them both because of it," Frigga says. "We would do better to make amends, rather than punish." 

"I have been too lenient with Thor as it is," Odin snaps. "I may well be to blame that he is the way he is, but to continue coddling him will not help him now." 

"You have never coddled anyone," Frigga scoffs. "You can punish him _here_ , but banishment? That will not help Thor. It will not help Loki. It will not help anyone." 

"My mind is made up on the matter," Odin says firmly. "I have only allowed Thor to remain for now so he may say his goodbyes to Loki. It is more than he deserves after what he has done." 

"And Loki?" Frigga demands. 

"If a General makes a mistake and gives a ill-starred order, you punish the General, you do not punish the soldiers that followed him," Odin says. 

"Loki is not a soldier," Frigga says at once. "He will not look kindly on you treating him as one." 

"I fear that will be the least of his concerns," Odin says. "He may well have learned the truth on Jotunheim." 

"I suspected as much," Frigga says quietly. "You must speak with him." 

"I can arrange a speech to rally our people to arms with little trouble, but I have never had a way with words when it comes to speaking to our youngest son," Odin says. "And there are no words to make this right." 

"Your silence would only serve to make it worse," Frigga tells him, gently kissing him on the cheek. "So I suggest you try." 

Frigga lightly pushes Odin towards Loki's room, before disappearing down the hall. Odin walks in and swallows hard when he sees that Loki is asleep. He looks so very young, is still so very young, and he fears he has been going about this wrong for years. 

He was a magnificent King—but being a father was far more delicate work. 

"You came for us." 

Odin glances up in surprise. Loki is watching him carefully, looking far more awake than he has any right to be. The healing field should be helping him rest. 

"I did," Odin says. "If Laufey had killed you there would be war." 

"There will be war anyway," Loki says. 

"Yes," Odin agrees. "Which leads me to wonder, why it is that you would have gone with Thor in the first place, unless that was what you wanted." 

Odin sits down in the chair beside the bed, and Loki is glad for the energy filed between them, protecting him from that piercing gaze like some sort of veil. "He is my brother," Loki says. 

"And you are too clever not to have foreseen this," Odin says. "You knew there would be no good outcome. Thor believed I might be dazzled into forgiving him at the gift of a sword I could have ages ago claimed myself, but you would have known better. You should have come to me." 

"Because seeking your audience to speak ill of your favored son has served me so well in the past?" Loki asks, his tone, though meant to sound bored, falters nonetheless. "You would not have believed me. You needed to see it for yourself." 

"See what?" Odin asks, carefully, his manner indicating that he already knows. 

Loki's resolve shatters, and he lies back on the bed and turns away. "It does not matter now. I can assure you I did not foresee this," he says after a moment. 

"No, I don't suppose you did," Odin says. "But it was meant to be a lesson for me, was it not? I have to admit you achieved the task. Thor is not fit to be King—at least not as he is. I can see that now." 

"What are you going to do to him?" Loki asks quietly. 

"He is to be banished," Odin says finally. 

Loki forces himself to sit up. "Then you have to send me with him," he says at once. "I am every bit as guilty as him." 

"You are not fit to go anywhere," Odin snaps. 

"You cannot punish only Thor for this," Loki insists. "He did not force me to go, the responsibility is not his alone." 

"But he is the one that was to be King!" Odin shouts. 

Loki freezes. "Yes, of course," he says calmly. "You can afford to be lenient with the spare." 

"You always twist my words," Odin says wearily, his anger gone as quickly as it had come. 

"We both know you never intended me to be King," Loki says. 

"You may well yet be King, after this," Odin says. "For it's become very clear that Thor is not fit to be." 

"I never—I never wanted to be King," Loki says quietly. 

"All the more reason to make you one," Odin says. "Thor wants it, and does not understand it. You understand it, and so do not want it. But you were both born to be Kings, Loki, that I have always believed." 

"But this is not my Kingdom," Loki says, looking up to meet his father's gaze steadily. "Is it, my King?" 

Odin goes still. "You are my son," he says. 

"That is not what I asked, though I find it a rather telling response," Loki says. "What am I?" 

"If you have learned enough to ask, I suspect you have already guessed," Odin says. 

"I would like to hear it from you, all the same," Loki says. "Thor believed it to be my magic, but it is not a magic I was aware I possessed." 

"I found you on Jotunheim, abandoned in a temple," Odin says. "The battle was over, but I could not leave you there." 

"Then I am a monster," Loki says, tone level. "That makes so much sense." 

"Loki, no," Odin snaps. "Have I ever claimed the frost giants to be monsters? This does not make any difference." 

"How can you say that? You have lied to me all my life. I am Jotun—" he stumbles over the word, his graze dragging away from Odin's once again. 

"You are only half-giant," Odin says after a moment. "They do not have such magic as you, and you were gifted before you could even speak. I suspect you are also half Vanir, for they have always had more magic than the Aesir." 

"So I am but half-monster then," Loki says coolly. "I shall sleep so much better." 

"You are whatever you choose to be," Odin states loudly. "And this is true more of you than most." 

"That is a beautiful sentiment, but I have tried for years to be more like Thor and have consistently failed. Though it is no small wonder I have never belonged here," Loki says. "I am simply a spoil of war, more treasure you have deigned to put out on display." 

"If that were true, I would not have hidden your origins from you. You have never been put out on display in that manner," Odin snaps. "I hid your origins to protect you, and because they would not matter to anyone that would matter. You are my son, and you are my son by choice."

"You had a son, that was not your purpose in taking me," Loki says. "You had to have a reason—you do nothing without one." 

"I thought you might serve to one day bring peace between us and the Jotun," Odin says. "But that will not happen now, and it does not matter that it will not happen, you are still my son." 

"I tried to stop the war," Loki says after a moment. "I figured that I was expendable, so I might be able to talk the Laufey into sparing Thor and not going to war." 

"Heimdall saw," Odin says, his voice like steel. "It is, I think, the first time I have ever seen you be anything less than clever. Thor was correct; we would have gone to war to get you back just as we would have for him." 

"Laufey betrayed me anyway," Loki says. 

"Yes, though it concerns me that he appeared to be planning to keep you hostage," Odin says. "Did he say for what purpose he wanted you?" 

"I can't imagine it was anything pleasant," Loki says, frowning at the look of concern on his father's face. "What? What else is there that you are not telling me?" 

"You are of Laufey's blood," Odin says after a moment. 

Loki lets out of a startled laugh. "Of course," he says. Odin would not have spared just any orphan child—but Loki was, it seemed, truly a prince, though his true kingdom loved him even less than the one that raised him. 

"I worry that he knows who you are," Odin says. "I had thought that one day—" 

"One day what?" Loki asks. "You found me abandoned, he did not want me. I doubt he has found a purpose for me now other than to take from you as you have from him." 

"Yes, well, that is why you will not be involved in the war," Odin says. "I will not allow you to fall into his hands." 

"Then you should not send Thor away," Loki suggests. "He flourishes in battle, there is no denying that." 

"No, but perhaps there are more important things," Odin says. "He will be sent away tonight." 

"Have you told him what I am?" Loki asks. 

"No," Odin says. 

"May I see him?" he asks, and Odin frowns at him, sensing the dismissal. 

He still rises to his feet to leave, looking almost relieved. "I will have him sent here," he agrees. "Perhaps you might leave him with some advice, he does not listen to me." 

"Where are you sending him?" Loki asks curiously.

"Midgard," Odin says. 

Loki waits for Odin to leave this time before he laughs. Midgard, of course. Pretty mortals, alcohol, and wars. 

It was hardly the best place to send Thor in search of redemption.

* * * * *

Thor is escorted to the healing chamber only moments later, by none other than Fandral of the Warriors Three, and Sif. This is ridiculous for a number of reasons, not the least of which because if anyone were to help Thor flee, aside, of course, from Loki, Sif and Fandral would be the ones to do it.

Sif and Fandral nod at Loki, but then stand stiffly at the door, saying nothing. Loki does not take offense, because he knows they are here in a official capacity and they cannot risk being removed from their given task. Loki does not think there is a guard in the palace that would not treat Thor with respect, but it will be better if he is able to keep his friends. 

Loki, however, does not want them here for this. He waves his hand subtly, and the door shuts and locks behind Thor. He hears Sif's exclamation of protest, and then Fandral's soothing tones. Loki lets out a sigh of relief when they do not demand he open the door.

"Loki," Thor says urgently, rushing forward to greet him. "How are you? I tried to see you sooner, but I—"

"I have heard you are being banished to Midgard," Loki says, not wasting time with pleasantries. "Will father not be swayed?" 

Thor shakes his head. "No, brother," he says. "It is half done already." 

There is something off about Thor, but it takes his comment before Loki realizes what it is. "You're mortal," he gasps, reaching out to grab his hand. "He said he was going to banish you, he did not mention—" 

"He has sent my hammer to Midgard, and my power along with it. He would have tossed me down as well, except he allowed me the kindness to stay and make sure you were alright," he says bitterly. "Though I suspect he's done it more for your benefit than mine." 

"He adores you," Loki says. "You will be back in his good graces in no time. I will come with you, and make sure of it." 

"You'll do no such thing," Thor snaps. "You will stay here, and get well. Loki, mother is beside herself at your injuries and my banishment. You must take care of her once I am gone." 

"You're not playing fair," Loki protests. 

"I learned from the best," Thor says wryly, grinning down at him. 

Loki swallows and forces himself to hold Thor's gaze. "You may feel differently in a moment," he says. "Thor, what happened to me on Jotun—" 

"Magic of some sort, do not worry yourself," Thor says. "You are safe now." 

"And what if it wasn't as simple as that?" Loki asks, sitting up. This is, he realizes, the defining moment. Odin and Frigga both claim to love him as he is, but they have always known. 

If Thor cannot accept what he is, then he is not sure he can remain in Asgard—no matter that Thor is banished himself. 

"Then what is it?" Thor asks. 

"I am not your brother," Loki says. 

"Loki, you are ill, and you do not know what you say," Thor says kindly. "You were speaking madness on Jotunheim as well, and I would lecture you on your recklessness if it were not spurred on by my own." 

"It is not madness, it is truth," Loki says. "Odin found me as a baby, and decided to raise me as his own. He found me on Jotunheim." 

Thor froze, his eyes going wide as he placed the pieces together. "You don't mean—" 

"I am Jotun," Loki says, he holds out his hand, frowning at it for a moment, but it stays the same pale white. He turns to look then at Thor, who has not moved since he learned the truth. "Are you going to kill me now?" he asks casually. 

Thor looks horrified, jumping to his feet. "You think that little of me?" he demands. "Why would father not tell us?" 

"He has always been fond of secrets," Loki says. "He claims he kept this one to protect me." 

"From who?" Thor demands. "None would dare touch you. I will—" he breaks off, looking ill. "I will be on Midgard." 

"My offer still stands," Loki says, forcing himself to stay sitting up. "I would go with you, I know things can never be as they were, but I—" 

"Of course things will be as they were," Thor says dismissively. "We are still brothers. We still grew up together, we've still fought our battles together. What has changed?" 

"Quite a lot, actually," Loki says wryly, watching as the blue spread from his hand, for the first time it is at his command. "I am, after all, the enemy." 

Thor looks startled as he sees Loki in his Jotun form, and he goes even paler as he steps away. 

"Still wish to call me brother?" Loki demands, trying to put a sneer into his voice that doesn't quite take. He just sounds young instead; it is like some echo of all those years ago when he used to follow Thor around, wanting to join him and his friends. 

"Of course," Thor says. 

"You look horrified," Loki says. "And you've always been a terrible liar." 

"If I am horrified it is at myself," Thor says quietly. "For I think I have just learned why father is so angry, why he is so insistent I am not fit to be King. I would have killed every last one of the frost giants, Loki, and you—if you are Jotun, then it is obvious I know nothing about them at all." 

Loki lets the blue drain from his skin at Thor's words; it does not feel like a natural state, and to be honest Loki isn't sure he could have blamed Thor for whatever horror he held for that form. Loki is fairly certain he would not be able to face himself in a mirror if he were wearing it. 

"I am still not certain they aren't all monsters," Loki says. "I fear I am a monster myself." 

"Loki, you tried to sacrifice yourself for me," Thor says, stepping close once more. "You have saved me, the others, countless times before. Those are not the action of a monster." 

_You can choose to be anything_ , Frigga had told him. 

He had never let the Aesir that raised him mold him into their ideal—in a society that prided itself on rushing into a fight, he had kept to the shadows to plan out the battle. He had trained himself; he had made himself. 

If he had not let them change him, there was no reason why this should. 

"Thor," Sif calls hesitantly, as she knocks at the door. "It is time." 

"I must go," Thor says, rising to his full height. "You may have saved me not once, but twice this day—before I was not certain I would ever understand the reasons why I must be banished. Now that I know them, there is a chance I will find my way back."

"Thor, wait—" Loki says. 

"Goodbye, brother," Thor says, leaning down to place a kiss on Loki's forehead. "Never doubt that I love you." 

Then he's gone, before Loki can remember the right spell to keep him there.

* * * * *

There have been few instances where Loki has felt true remorse.

More often than not, he delights in the chaos he tends to create—because, after all, that is the entire point. Frigga's disapproval, however, has always inspired guilt, and Odin's disapproval often brought self-loathing. 

Loki has never much had a problem pulling pranks on Thor, who otherwise would have probably gone through life even more oblivious than he already was. 

But he feels guilt for this. He never could have imagined Odin banishing his favored son, it had not once entered his mind—and now it was all spiraling out of control much too fast to talk his and Thor's way out of it. Words have failed him in a way that feels like betrayal, because he has never needed his silvertongue so greatly as he does now and it's nowhere to be found. 

It's just as well he has other talents he can put to use. 

Loki pushes himself up from the bed, leaving one of his illusionary doubles in his place before casting a spell to make himself invisible. He feels nauseous as he stands and he can already feel his tenuous hold on his power slipping. He presses a hand to his stitched up side and closes his eyes, forcing himself to teleport to the Bifrost with one last burst of power. 

He falls to his knees on the bridge, his image flickering for a moment before his invisibility takes hold once more. He glances up and is grateful Heimdall is turned towards the center of the Bifrost, though he is not so arrogant as to assume that means he has not been seen. 

He pushes himself back to his feet and approaches, and he can see Thor through the doors, stripped of his armor and staring at the ground. There is none of the fight in him here that he is used to, and he says nothing in his own defense. Loki would speak up for him if it would not reveal his presence, but he cannot afford to give himself away. 

He's too weak to get to Midgard on his own, so he's going to have to tag along with Thor. He blocks out Odin's damning words and moves to slip past Heimdall, hoping that the Gatekeeper will keep his silence. Heimdall has never cared for him, and should be happy to see him go. 

But he should have known that Heimdall wouldn't pass up a chance to interfere with one of his plans. He does not make it further than a foot before Heimdall grabs his wrist, and his invisibility spell dissolves just in time for his brother to see him before he is dragged away, pulled backwards through the void—mortal and unarmed and _alone_. "Thor!" Loki shouts, but Heimdall drags him back, and Odin looks more furious than Loki has ever seen him. 

He is suddenly thankful he had not been conscious when Odin had come for them on Jotunhiem. 

"Do you have any idea what it is you've nearly done?" Odin roars. "If you had been caught in that spell and dragged to Midgard along with Thor without my knowledge, you could have been crushed, or lost in the void!" 

Loki purses his lips, and does not tell Odin that he has his own ways of travel. It is useful information and he has learned to keep what he can to himself. He suspects he may be too weak to travel that way for the moment in any case, or he would simply follow Thor to Earth. "I am the one that deserves to be punished," Loki says firmly. "Thor did not know what he was doing." 

"And he must learn!" Odin shouts. "How long have you been covering for him, Loki? Correcting his mistakes? And I have allowed it, but I will allow it no longer. He will learn, or he will stay where he is. You cannot save him from this." 

Loki goes pale, and Heimdall reaches out to steady him. "Father, please," he says. 

"But if you wish for punishment so desperately, then you shall have it," Odin commands. "You are not to leave the palace grounds until such time I have decided you can be trusted outside of my sight." 

"You cannot do that!" Loki protests. "I am not your son!" 

"You are my son!" Odin yells. "And you will act like it." 

"Why have you done this?" Loki demands. "You could have banished me, and saved Thor. Why would you do this? You need him." 

Odin's expression softens, and he reaches forward to grip Loki's shoulders. "I know I have not always done my best by you, but it is not because I love you less," Odin says. "I would never use you in that way." 

"You have always treated me differently," Loki says. "The entire kingdom knows you favor Thor. I accepted that long ago, and I will no longer be lied to!" 

"I have not treated you the same because you are not the same!" Odin shouts. 

Loki freezes, his own words failing him, and Odin looks tiredly over the edge of the Bifrost. "You have always been independent, Loki. You would know what my lessons were almost before I began them, but Thor would require me to go over them again. If I have not given you as much attention, it is because you have always needed it less." 

Loki falters, unable to find a suitable response. He could lie easily enough, but to say something honest would take more effort than he's capable of at the moment. 

"You have my full attention now. I will not allow you to follow your brother, consider his punishment also part of yours. This is a lesson you both need to learn," Odin says sternly. "Thor that he must think before he acts, and you that you cannot always do it for him." 

"He needs me," Loki says, because that couldn't change too—he had already lost so much over the course of a single day. 

"He does, and always will," Odin agrees. "So we must have faith he will find his way back." 

Loki looks out over the edge of the Bifrost, down at that little blue and green world. It is only a few minutes walk through the hidden passages between worlds, but he knows he does not have the strength for the journey.

He can only hope that Thor will have the strength for his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up: it's off to Midgard we go, and the Avengers finally make an appearance!


	3. Part II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Meanwhile, on Midgard…_

The fall doesn't exactly hurt—he lands with enough force to knock the air from his lungs, but his father's magic protects him from any real harm. 

The only thing that breaks on impact is his heart. 

He can still see his father's accusing eyes, hear Loki's last desperate cry. He remembers his father's words: _you are unworthy of the loved ones you have betrayed_. He pushes himself up to his knees, gasping as he sucks in this strange new air. 

He thinks of crying out to the sky, of screaming to his father that his point has been made. 

But he suspects that he deserves this, and so does not. 

It is day in some sort of desert on Midgard, and he is not used to such heat. He starts walking in the first direction he turns towards, and the heat presses at him until fluid begins to seep from his very skin. He suspects it would not have troubled him nearly as much if he were still in his proper form, but this reduced mortal body is wearied by the long walk through the desert. He doesn't know how long he walks before he finally reaches the edge of some Midgardian town, but it is all so foreign it only brings with it a small sense of relief. 

The mortals stare at him openly as he walks down the middle of their roads, and he looks down at his clothes in concern. Loki has always been much better at blending in than him, but his clothes do not appear so different as to warrant such attention. He supposes they must sense, somehow, that he does not belong. 

His only option is to find Mjolnir so he can regain his power and return home; it is the only way he will be allowed to try and right the wrongs he has done. It is clear now that he has failed utterly as son, and as a brother, never mind as a King. 

That Loki could have believed he would kill him simply for the circumstances of his birth had cut him deeper than he allowed his brother to see. He does not know what he could have done to have broken Loki's trust so completely, and he can see no way to mend it from here. 

Exhaustion begins to take hold, so when Thor sees a small tavern he slips inside. There are a series of strange seats along the counter, and he sits down at one. A kindly woman comes up to him, smiling softly. "What can I get you, hon?" she asks. 

"I would like some of your mead," Thor says. 

"Sorry, doll, no liquor license," she says. "You want a soda?" 

Thor frowns at her puzzling words. "What is this soda?" he asks, before glancing at the couple sitting by the window. He watches as they give another waitress small strips of green paper. He frowns. "And I am afraid I have none of that green paper that seems valuable as a form of trade." 

The woman laughs. "You're a strange one," she says. "Tell you what, I'll get you an ice tea on the house." 

"You are very kind," Thor tells her, before getting distracted by a pair of men a few seats down. 

"They say it fell from the sky," the guy says. "Think it might be some kinda satellite or something. Government sure showed up quick enough, it's got to be something." 

Thor moved over to them. "Tell me, friends, where was this?" he asks. 

The man that had spoken looks startled, but he waves his hand in the correct direction. "About 20 miles West of here," he says. 

"Thank you," Thor says, before turning back to the waitress. "Fair maiden, I am afraid I must depart. Perhaps I can partake of your iced tea some other time." 

She gapes at him. "Um, sure, anytime, honey." 

Thor leaves the strange tavern that does not have any mead, and starts walking West. He does not quite understand their method of measuring, but he is confident he will know when he is close. 

He still remembers Mjolnir's call, and he can only hope that it will still know his.

* * * * *

"It's a hammer," Tony says. "You dragged me down here for this? Coulson, I don't think you understand what the word 'urgent' actually means."

"We think it's alien," Coulson says helpfully. 

"An alien hammer," Tony repeats. "What, you think the maintenance crew on the mothership got careless and dropped one of their tools?" 

"I want to go on record that I'm not happy with this—" 

Tony looks up at the voice, frowning as he sees Natasha Romanov, previously known as Natalie Rushman, leading a protesting Bruce Banner across the bullpen towards the labs at the back. 

"Is that Bruce Banner that my favorite assistant is dragging around?" Tony asks curiously. "I thought he was dead." 

"He's not dead," Coulson says. "And she's not your assistant." 

"You know, your complete and utter lack of personality is a personality in and of itself," Tony tells him. "It's really rather remarkable. I should introduce you to JARVIS sometime."

"I have JARVIS on my speed dial," Coulson says. 

"Of course you do," Tony says, before looking up with a frown. "Coulson, why are Hawkeye and Captain America lurking about the rafters?" 

"Hawkeye likes to lurk," Coulson says. "I suspect that Mr. Rogers needed to speak with him." 

"So let's see," Tony says. "We've got the gorgeous and deadly Natalie/Natasha, Hawkeye, Captain America, and the foremost expert on gamma radiation, that has, I might add, been missing in action for no inconsiderable amount of time. And then there's little ole me. I thought I said I didn't want to join your boy band." 

"I just wanted you to look at my hammer," Coulson says. 

"I honestly have no response to that," Tony says. "I think you broke me." 

Coulson blinks at him. "It's giving off strange readings," he elaborates. "Our scientists think it's some new form of electromagnetic radiation." 

"Ah, hence bringing Bruce Banner back from the grave," Tony says. 

"He wasn't dead," Coulson assures him. "The last time we tried something like that it went badly." 

"I want to think you're kidding, but I honestly can't tell," Tony says. 

Coulson, as is his custom, does not rise to Tony's baiting, but he does do something so very odd that it causes Tony to stumble back in sudden fear. He smiles—a huge, bright, adoring smile. 

Tony spins around to see what could have caused such a thing in his favorite friendly robot and sees Steve Rogers give a little half wave as he approaches. "Uh, hi!" Steve says, and Tony is momentarily confused when he doesn't follow it up with 'aw, shucks.' 

"Captain America, I presume," Tony says, holding out a hand. 

"He said I can call him Steve," Coulson whispers, sounding almost giddy. 

"That's me." Steve shook Tony's hand, before nodding at Coulson. "Agent Coulson. It's good to see you again." 

"I'm Iron Man," Tony says. "Which I thought was pretty cool, but you've managed to turn Coulson into a fourteen year old girl, so I guess this round goes to you." 

Coulson blushes. So does Steve. 

"Uh, I need to…I'll just—" Coulson attempts to be coherent, but fails and promptly rushes off. 

"Well, that was weird," Tony says. "Do people usually react that way to you?" 

"I guess I've kind of become something of a celebrity," Steve says, and shrugs. "You're Tony Stark, right? I knew your father." 

Tony glances at the hammer, wrapping one hand around the handle to give it an experimental tug. It doesn't budge. "I didn't," he says simply, and leaves it at that. "Do you know why you're here?" 

Steve shakes his head. "I was on my way to a nearby base when we got a call and were rerouted here," he says. "Apparently this fell out of the sky?" 

"Seems more likely this is some ancient buried relic that was uncovered by a small meteor or something," Tony says, bracing one foot on the rock as he pulls harder at the hammer. "It hardly looks like alien tech." 

Steve's mouth twitches. "Have you seen a lot of alien tech?" he asks hesitantly. 

"Well, no, but I watch a lot of Star Trek," Tony tells him, finally letting the hammer go. 

"Stark!" Coulson yells. "We need you in the lab." There's a brief pause. "You can come too if you want, Steve!" 

"If you value your virtue, I would stay here," Tony tells him, before jogging off to join Coulson. 

"Yeah, I need to—talk to Hawkeye again," Steve says awkwardly, obviously stumbling over the excuse. 

Coulson nods in disappointment before glaring at Tony. "Follow me," he says stiffly. 

"Why aren't you ever that sweet to me?" Tony asks. "Is it because my suit is armor instead of spandex?" 

"It's because you're a child in a man's body," Coulson says. 

"I don't think I approve of the way you treat children," Tony tells him, as Coulson shoves him roughly into the lab. 

Coulson ignores him, leaning against the doorjamb. "Fury's on his way and he'll want a full report."

"A full report?" Tony says. "I just got there." 

"I've only been here five minutes," Bruce adds, holding up a hand. 

"Better get to work then," Coulson says, before staring dreamily back the way he came. "I'm going to go make sure Steve's okay." 

Tony spins around, clapping his hands together. "I guess we should get to work then. Should we do the introduction thing? I'm Tony Stark. You're Bruce Banner. We're both brilliant." 

"You know who I am?" Bruce asks. 

"I'm a big fan," Tony says. "I'm not generally active in the field of spectrum wave analysis or gamma radiation, but Coulson gave me a packet to read on the way here so I think I have the basics. And you're top of your field, of course. Except for that whole dropping off the edge of the earth thing." 

"Oh, I was on vacation," Bruce says. 

"You lie about as well as Uncle Sam out there," Tony says, "but don't worry, I won't pry. I'll just hack into SHEILD's files later and figure it out on my own." 

"Um, that's appreciated?" Bruce frowns, before turning back to his microscope. 

"So what do we have so far?" Tony asks. 

"The hammer, for lack of a better term, is giving off some very weird signals. I mean, this is so far off the spectrum we haven't got a classification for it, let alone a name," Bruce tells him.

"So it's something entirely new," Tony says. 

"I think it's far more complicated than that," Bruce says. "I think it's something that is very, very old." 

Tony moves around him, frowning at the readouts and running through a number of displays on the computer before letting out a laugh in disbelief. "It's almost as though it's interacting on a number of different frequencies at once," he says. "This is insane." 

"Yes, that's it exactly," Bruce agrees, moving from the microscope to the white board, and writing down the list as he speaks. "Radio, infrared, visible, ultraviolet and gamma, and who knows what else, all tied in together in a kind of harmony that theoretically _should_ rip it straight apart." 

Tony blinks at him. "I think maybe you're my soulmate." 

Bruce frowns at him. "Huh?" 

"No, seriously, will you be my science boyfriend?" Tony asks. 

"Just ignore him, Dr. Banner, that's what the rest of us do," Fury says, as he comes crashing in. "How is it looking?" 

"It's lookin' good, Nick," Tony says. "Is that a new eye patch?" 

Fury keeps his eye on Bruce, taking his own advice and ignoring Tony with the skill of much practice. "Can you figure out how to move it?" he asks. "We would like it in a more secure facility." 

"Um…according to all I can gather, we should just be able to pick it up," Bruce says. 

"Tried that," Tony says. "It's like trying to pull out Excalibur." 

"Yes, I have no explanation for that," Bruce says. 

"I'm pretty sure it was put in the rock by a wizard," Tony says helpfully. 

Fury glares at him, preparing for some sort of lecture, but he's cut off at the shrill sound of an alarm. _Saved by the bell_ , Tony thinks, but even he has enough self-preservation not to say it out loud. 

Fury glances towards the door before staring over at Tony. "I don't suppose you have your suit?" he asks. 

"I was in the middle of a date when Coulson had me picked up," Tony says. 

"Is that a yes or a no?" Fury demands. 

"Fair question," Tony says. "That was a no." 

"Both of you stay here," Fury snaps, before heading out of the lab. 

Tony watches him go for a minute. "Yeah, screw that," he says, starting for the door. 

"Wait," Bruce says. "We were told to stay here." 

"Yeah, but Fury knows me," Tony says. "If he thought I would actually listen he really has no one but himself to blame." 

He starts down the hallway, Bruce reluctantly following him, and grabs a radio from a small supply armory. He switches it on and tweaks it until he hears Coulson and Barton bickering about whether or not to take a shot at their intruder. "Sounds like the guy's going after the hammer," Tony says. 

"Well, it's doubtful he'll be able to take it with him," Bruce says. "I mean, it's stuck." 

"Yeah, but we don't know what's causing that, you said so yourself," Tony says, starting towards the main room where the hammer was. "And if we don't know what's causing it, we don't know what it will take to undo it." 

"True," Bruce agrees. "But don't you think we should let SHIELD handle it?" 

"I'm just going to watch," Tony promises. "Most likely." 

" _I'm starting to like this guy_ ," Hawkeye says over the radio. 

Tony laughs. "Yeah, we definitely can't miss this," he says. "Hawkeye doesn't like hardly anyone. He doesn’t even like me. You like me, don't you?" 

"Sure, I'll even be your science boyfriend," Bruce says. "Just don't get me killed." 

"Deal," Tony says, leading Bruce up a narrow stairway to a cat walk. They watch as a tall, broad, and blond figure fights his way through SHIELD's best and brightest, before coming to a stop in front of the hammer. He hears Coulson over the radio, demanding everyone to hold.

Tony leans out over the railing, forehead scrunched up in thought as he watches the man reach out for the hammer and pull. 

And nothing happens. 

"Well, that was anticlimactic," Tony says to Bruce. "I give him a ten for passion though. I was a believer."

* * * * *

Steve frowns as he listens to the chatter on the radio. " _Is this guy on steroids?" "Christ, did you see what he—" "He got past me, he's heading down the northeast tunnel, somebody had better—_ "

He turns back to the cordoned off hammer site as he hears a roar that is almost inhuman, and sees a young man with long blond hair fall out of the tunnels out onto the dirt. He pushes himself up on his feet, eyes on the hammer, and Steve steps forward, watching intently as he reaches for it and fails to lift it up. 

"Okay," Coulson says. "Show's over. Let's move in." 

"Wait," Steve says hesitantly. "You saw what he can do. Let me talk with him first, maybe no one else needs to get hurt." 

Coulson pauses for a moment. "And what about you?"

"If anyone stands a chance in a fight against him, it's probably me," Steve says. "You don't lose anything letting me try to talk to him first."

"You have the go ahead," Coulson says, sounding purely professional for the first time Steve has ever heard. "But be careful." 

"Understood," Steve says, before stepping out onto the dirt. The man glances up at him, eyes wide and terrified, and Steve knows that look. He's seen it before in the mirror—it's the look of a man whose entire world has just come crashing down around him. 

He makes no move to fight, just stays where he's fallen to his knees, his hands at his sides and his long hair soaked through from the rain outside. He watches Steve approach, but it does not seem to concern him. 

"Hi," Steve says. "I'm, ah, Steve Rogers." 

The man watches him blankly, and Steve's radio sparks to life. " _Tell him to call you Steve,_ " Tony's voice advises. " _Worked for Coulson_."

" _Stark, get off the comms,_ " Coulson snaps. 

"So," Steve says, pointing towards the hammer. "Is that yours?" 

The man blinks again. Steve wonders if maybe he doesn't speak English. Coulson had been convinced the hammer was alien, though the man sort of looked more like he'd walked off the cover of a romance novel than something from the science fiction section. 

"Can you understand me?" Steve asks. 

"Yes," the man says after a moment. "I speak the language that all understand, and so understand all languages." 

"Right," Steve says, switching off the radio just as Tony's voice starts to break through with some kind of commentary. "What's your name?" 

"Everything I was has been stripped from me," he says, eyes going back to the hammer. "Such things no longer matter." 

"I lost everything once too," Steve says, carefully stepping forward. The other man tenses, but does not move from his knees. "These people here helped me, they gave me a purpose again. Let us try and help you. If you've lost everything, then you have nothing to lose." 

"Thor," he says. "That was the name I was given, though I am no longer worthy of it." 

"Thor," Steve echoes. "Okay. Nice to meet you, Thor."

Thor glances up at him. "You are going to take me prisoner now?" 

"Until we can figure out what's happening here, yeah," Steve says honestly. "Are you going to fight us?" 

"It would not do me any good," Thor says, and lowers his head. "Do with me what you will." 

Steve frowns and motions the guards forward. They carefully help Thor to his feet, handcuffing him and leading him out. Coulson comes to a stop beside Steve. "Your interrogation technique is incredible," he compliments. 

Steve frowns at him. "That wasn't an interrogation," he says. 

Coulson shrugs. "Well, maybe that's why it worked," he says. "In any case, good job." 

"What are you going to do with him?" Steve asks. 

Coulson glances over at the hammer. "It's obvious he was here for that," he says. "We're going to take him over to our other facility, the one you were heading to. We'll keep him there until we figure out what's going on. Then maybe we can work something out." 

Steve nods. "Am I still heading there, too?" he asks. 

Coulson nods. "Yeah, let me just round up the kids," he says. "We'll all be going together just as soon as we finish the briefing. The conference room is right on the left of the entrance, can you wait for us there?" 

Steve nods. "Sure," he says. 

Coulson walks away, snapping on his radio as he goes. "Come on down, Hawkeye," he says. "Fury wants you in the briefing in five." 

" _On the way, boss,_ " Hawkeye answers. 

Coulson glances up at the cat walk. "Stark! Get to the briefing," he yells. "And bring Dr. Banner with you."

"You know it gives me chills when you go all commanding," Tony calls down to him, but heads towards the briefing nevertheless. 

Tony and Dr. Banner are right behind Steve as he enters the briefing room, and Hawkeye slips in and takes the chair in the corner without anyone noticing him until he crosses his feet up on the table. Coulson shows up a moment later with Natasha, moving to stand in the corner of the room with his hands clasped in front of him while Natasha takes the seat beside Clint. 

Tony taps his fingers along the surface of the table, looking bored after the first minute. Fury shows up just in time to prevent him doing something desperate like suggesting a game of I Spy.

"Thank you all for coming," Fury says.

"You say that like I wasn't practically kidnapped," Tony says. He looks around the table. "Anyone else here kidnapped?" 

Bruce raises his hand. Tony points at him at triumph. "Yeah, thought you had that look about you," Tony says. "Natasha got to you, huh?" 

"I asked politely," Natasha says sweetly. "Well, the first time." 

Bruce throws her wary glance, and Clint laughs, though it cuts off abruptly as Natasha pushes his feet off the table. 

"I'm here by choice," Steve says helpfully. 

"Everyone's here by choice," Fury snaps.

"Well, probably not the guy you've got chained up in the back," Tony says. "And what is with that? Big guy calling himself Thor. Big ass hammer stuck in the ground." He glanced around at everyone. "Anyone else here seeing the connection?" 

"You think the object is Thor's Hammer?" Bruce asks in disbelief. 

"I think either way it's a strange coincidence," Tony says. "And I don't believe in coincidence." 

"Agreed," Fury says. "I think it's time you were all fully briefed in." 

"I love how it's always after things start falling apart that you think that," Tony says. "Just once I'd like a heads up _before_ a Norse God comes barreling into one of your supposedly secret outposts." 

"Despite the fact that he does have quite the fighting style," Clint says with a snort, "I seriously doubt that he's a _God_." 

"Speak for yourself," Natasha says, tossing him a wink. 

"Okay, listen up people," Fury interrupts, before hitting a clicker so a picture of a glowing blue cube appears on the wall behind them. 

"Who taught you how to use PowerPoint?" Tony asks in disbelief, leaning forward across the table to watch with wide eyes. 

Fury ignores him. "This is the Tesseract," he says. "It was recovered by Captain Rogers and Howard Stark nearly seventy years ago. We've already had a preliminary analysis run, but I'm sure Dr. Banner will be able to confirm the results." 

Fury flips to the next picture and Bruce and Tony both lean forward in interest as they read over the Tesseract readings. "They're very similar to whatever that is out there," Bruce agrees. 

"But only _similar_ ," Tony interrupts. "As in, our DNA is eerily similar to chimpanzees." 

"Which is more believable in some of us than in others," Natasha says sweetly. 

"Don't forget who signs your paychecks," Tony tells her. 

"I don't actually work for you, remember?" Natasha asks. 

"Their unique signatures are still closer to each other than they are to anything we've encountered before," Bruce says, getting to his feet to get closer, running his hand along the projected numbers. 

"Our scientists think the Tesseract might be the key to understanding whatever this object is, and controlling it," Fury says. "Dr. Banner, do you agree?" 

Bruce looks like he's about to go on scigasmic overload, and Tony doesn't know whether to be jealous or join in. "Oh, definitely, it's the best place to start," Bruce says. "This might…I mean, it could be the key to understanding _everything_." 

"That's what I was hoping to hear," Fury says. "Alright, we're going to head over to our more secure facility. Stark." 

Tony glances up from his phone. "Sir, yes, sir?" 

"Just so we can avoid any further accusations of kidnapping, would you like to join us?" he asks, all false politeness. 

"One condition," Tony says. "I don't want to ride in the same car as the crazy Thor guy." 

"You're riding with Coulson, because he's the only one aside from Ms. Potts that can handle you," Fury snaps.

Coulson fights back an eye twitch. "Steve should come with us as well." 

Tony grins wickedly. "I think he should go with Thor," he says. 

Steve's eyes widen. "What?" 

"Come on, you'll get along great. You're from the past, he's from ancient Scandinavia—"

"I'm from the 1940s," Steve protests. 

"Exactly!" Tony says brightly. "That's the past."

"I don't—" Steve breaks off, looking nervously from Fury to Coulson. 

"Look, I'm doing you a favor here," Tony whispers. "It's this or being stuck in a car with Coulson for god knows how long. It's too late for me, save yourself." 

"I'd be more than happy to assist with the prisoner's transport," Steve says at once. "Considering his strength and the way he took out the guards here, it's probably best I'm there." 

"Agreed," Fury says. "Good idea, Rogers." 

"It was my idea," Tony protests, but everyone ignores him as they disappear from the room.

* * * * *

Thor was looking a lot less like the guy that had taken out twelve of SHIELD's most dangerous as he sat forlornly in the prison transport. His ankles and hands were handcuffed and secured to the transport floor, but if Steve were to guess he would say he didn't have any fight left in him.

Coulson had asked Steve to try and get some information out of Thor if he could, since so far Thor had not spoken more than single word answers to anyone else. There just doesn't seem to be a good place to start. 

"So…yeah, I'm just gonna ask this. Are you an alien?" 

Thor stares back at Steve blankly. 

"I mean, it's alright if you are," Steve continues. "We'd just like to know." 

"I do not know this word," Thor says after a moment, assessing Steve with a focus that was more than slightly unnerving. "I was a warrior." 

"A solider?" Steve asks. "Who did you serve?" 

"I served my father," Thor says, before turning his eyes to the doors of the prison transport in distrust. "What is this strange contraption? Are we moving?" 

"Yes, it's a car," Steve says. "Well, a van, technically. Or maybe a minivan, since it's not very large. I don't know for sure. They've come up with a lot of new names for them. It's a vehicle."

" _It's like the blind leading the blind_ ," Tony laughs. 

Steve frowns, finding the radio hooked on his belt. "Stark, how are you listening to this? I didn't even have it on." 

" _Bugged it_ ," Tony says. " _No, Coulson, I'm not sorry! Look, Stevie Wonder, just ask him where does he hail from?_ "

"Um, where do you hail from?" Steve asks. 

"I was a prince of Asgard," Thor says sadly. "But I am mortal now." 

" _Okay, now ask him if he's currently on any kind of medication,_ " Tony advises. 

Steve glares at the radio. "Just ignore the tiny voice coming out of this, I don't know how to make it stop," he says. 

"May I, Steve Rogers?" Thor asks. 

Steve hesitates for a moment, but hands the radio over. Thor promptly slams it into the ground and then breaks it beneath his boot, Tony's squawk of protest cut off midway. 

"Well, that was effective," Steve says. 

"I have always found it to be so in the past," Thor agrees. "Are you also unfamiliar with this world, Steve Rogers?" 

"Oh, you can call me Steve," Steve says, before wincing at the realization he had again unwittingly taken Tony's advice. "And I'm from here, I'm just a little behind on the times." 

Thor nods, before frowning again at the inside of the van. "Am I being taken to my execution?" he asks. 

"What?" Steve asks, horrified. "What, no. No. Of course not. We're just trying to figure out what's going on, what that hammer was. Who you are." 

"The hammer is Mjolnir," Thor says. "It was my own, but now it refuses me. It may yet choose another." 

"Um…so it's alive?" Steve asks. 

Thor gives him an incredulous look. "It is a hammer!" 

"Right," Steve says. "So that's a no, right?" 

Thor studies him for a moment, before shaking his head. "It is magic, my friend," he says. "It does not have more thought in it than it has been given." 

Steve frowns at him for a moment. His first instinct is to protest magic, but he has seen things that resemble it enough not to close his mind to the possibility. That's what Tony is for. 

"Well, that complicates things," Steve says eventually. 

"Indeed it does, friend Steve," Thor says gravely.

* * * * *

"Be still my reactor heart," Tony breathes, clutching one hand dramatically to his chest and reaching out to grab Bruce's wrist in scientist boyfriend solidarity with the other.

The Tesseract was incased in an intricate metal support system that was holding it suspended and gleaming, otherworldly and _powerful_. Tony wants to sink his hands inside and pull it all apart, twist it into pieces until he knows how to put them back right. 

Coulson eyes them warily. "You're only to take readings," he reminds them. 

"Coulson, I'm starting to think you don't trust us," Tony says. 

"You've blown up your share of labs," Coulson says warily. "I don't trust you. I trust Dr. Banner." 

Bruce smiles slightly, but doesn't comment. He's only ever had a single lab accident—but it was dramatic enough he didn't think Coulson should be trusting him either. "You wanted us to examine this," he says. "We need space to do it." 

Coulson gives a clipped nod. "Yes, I'll leave you to it," he says, before biting his lip. "I should make sure Captain Rogers is alright in any case." 

"You do that," Tony calls after him. "But don't come crying to me when you get served with the restraining order!" 

By the time Tony turns back around, Bruce is already at the other end of the lab, sitting at one of the computers and typing fast enough that his hands are blurred. "Tony, you need to come look at this," he says. 

Tony moves over, leaning unconsciously over his shoulder and frowning at the readings. "That _can't_ be right," he says. "Have you rerun them?" 

"Of course," Bruce says, as though being able to run and rerun complicated data reports in under sixty seconds is no strange thing. Tony could almost kiss him. "It came up the same. If that hammer was operating on any number of frequencies it shouldn't have been, this thing is operating on _all of them_." 

"And none of them," Tony adds, frowning as he admits it, but unable to dispute the data. 

Bruce pauses a moment, turning to look at the cube. "Yes," he agrees, though part of him wants to deny it, because it makes no sense. According to their data the object exists nowhere and everywhere all at once. 

"So do we know exactly what we're supposed to do here?" Tony asks. "Because it would probably take eight lifetimes to just scratch the surface of this thing, and I have dinner plans." 

"For now, I think we're just supposed to establish a connection between this and the hammer," Bruce muses. "Or see if there's some sort of key here so we can unlock the power of the hammer and move it." 

"So only five lifetimes then," Tony says, moving towards the other computer station. "Good to know." 

Bruce does not answer as he scans through the data again, pulling up a comparison for the readings of the hammer from the SHIELD databanks. It is nothing like the work he had done on the super serum, but being back in a SHIELD base was bringing up all sorts of horrible memories just the same. 

Tony seems to be at home here, though Bruce is beginning to expect that is just how he would act anywhere. 

"So, you're sort of a rage-monster, huh?" Tony asks. 

Bruce freezes, glancing over at him. "What?" he asks tightly. 

"They gave me access to their databanks," Tony says wryly. "I didn't even need to hack in, it was practically gift wrapped. It's not like I would be able to _not_ look." 

Bruce steels his expression and turns away. "I suppose you can call it that, yes. Or The Other Guy. Or The Hulk." 

"I wonder why it turns you green?" Tony wonders with a frown. 

"We have a more pressing matter at the moment," Bruce reminds him. "We can discuss my ailment at some other time." 

"Ailment," Tony repeats. "You're like an expert at the understatement, I like it." 

"Did you see that spike?" Bruce demands, spinning in his chair to glance back at the Tesseract. 

"Sorry, no. I was reading Romanov's file," Tony says. "I liked the fake one they made better. It had prettier pictures. Pictures with less…dead bodies." 

"Something's happening here," Bruce insists. "It's pulsing and the readings are going off the charts." 

"They were _already_ off the charts," Tony protests, but moves to join him. "Huh. It like it's siphoning power from somewhere, but why would it start now?" 

"Maybe it has to do with the man we brought in?" Bruce asks. "If he's associated with the hammer than he might have some—" 

Bruce breaks off as he turns to look at Tony, his eyes going wide. "Tony, is that, I mean, are you supposed to be flickering?" 

Tony glances down, watching as his arc reactor blinks in and out, pulsing in time with Tesseract. "Well, that's not good," he says, his knees beginning to buckle beneath him. Bruce surges forward and grabs him, tugging one of his arms over his shoulders. 

"We've got to get you out of here," he says. 

Tony shakes his head. "No, we've got to figure out what it's doing and stop it," he insists, pressing his eyes shut and taking a deep breath. "Just give me a sec." 

"Last time I had a lab accident, I grew into a green alter-ego about seven times my size that likes to smash things up," Bruce says. "We're going." 

"Fair enough," Tony says, and allows Bruce to pull him from the room. He activates his radio. "Hello, folks. Small problem…"

* * * * *

Frost creeps down along the walls so quickly that Steve's next breath comes out as fog, icy air dragging down his lungs on the inhale. He shivers and twists around, remembers being deep down in that ice only half-alive, though he's never been sure if what he remembers is real or imagined.

"Frost giants," Thor whispers in disbelief. "It is not possible." 

Except, apparently, it is possible, because Thor is staring down the hallway with wide eyes, and letting out a number of short guttural words that must be the Asgardian equivalent of cursing. "Father has confined them to their world! They should be not be _here_." 

Steve tries to follow this line of thought—frost giants, aliens, not supposed to be on a field trip: _check, check, check_. But the cold still scares the hell out of him, and Thor is looking at him in concern. "You must unbind me," he says. "The frost giants will not negotiate with you, but I may yet hold some sway with them if they know who I am." 

Steve is under strict orders to take Thor straight to holding. Well, not strict exactly, since Coulson's wording was more along the lines _I mean, if you're up to it, or I can do it, or we could go together if you'd like—_. But orders were orders, and Steve likes to follow them. 

Oh, who he was kidding? He breaks the rules all the time, if there's a good enough reason for it. Whether or not Thor is crazy, something is coming, and he isn't going to leave him defenseless. 

"Don't make me regret this," Steve says, reaching out to unlatch his cuffs. "We need to head back to the armory, if something's coming. I'm starting to wish you hadn't stomped on my radio." 

"You wished for the annoying voice to stop," Thor protests. 

"It's fine," Steve says, "but we need to head back and regroup." 

"We must confront them!" Thor protests, turning towards the origin of the frost with blazing eyes. "The frost giants should not be here, it can be for no good purpose that they've come." 

Steve frowns, wishing he had waited to take off Thor's cuffs. "There are civilians here," he says after a moment. "Non-combatants? We need to warn them, and then we will handle the threat. Rushing in and getting killed isn't going to help anyone, if these giants are as dangerous as you seem to think." 

Thor looks ready to protest, but allows Steve to usher him through the hall. Coulson had told Steve where his uniform and shield had been stored before he had left to take Thor to his cell, and he finds the place easily enough. His uniform is laid out on the table with the shield on top of it, and guns of various sizes are spread out along the wall—beside a bow or two, specially brought in for Hawkeye. 

Thor watches in confusion as Steve picks up his rounded shield, which the Asgardian is surprised to see colored brightly like a child's toy. He glares at the guns. "These are weapons? They are not well formed." 

"They are projectile weapons," Steve explains. 

"They are women's weapons!" Thor snaps. "I require something heavy that I can use to bludgeon the enemy." 

"Um," Steve pauses, reaching over for a spare radio. "I think it's best if you go back and wait with the other guards, I can—" 

"Speak to the leader that commands you from the small black box if you must, but I need to find the frost giants," Thor tells him, before his eyes light on the broom leaning up against the wall. He grabs it, and breaks off the end with his boot. "This staff will have to do!" 

Steve activates his radio. "This is Captain Rogers, we've got possible enemy combatants infiltrating the base. Can you confirm?" 

"Rogers, thank god you're alright," Coulson says. "Stark and Banner say the Tesseract went supernova, it's causing this mess. Security footage shows two…somethings, coming _out_ of the Tesseract itself. We're evacuating. I need you to get yourself and the prisoner back to the transport van." 

"Negative," Rogers says. "Thor claims to know the origins of the enemy, he thinks he might be able to reason with them." 

"Or kill them," Thor says helpfully.

"Rogers, we can't trust him," Coulson says. "Get him back to the transport van and we'll talk." 

"We do not have time for this!" Thor shouts, before pushing back into the hall. 

"He's just taken off after them," Rogers reported. "I'm heading off in pursuit." 

"Rogers, wait—"

Steve clicks his radio off and straps it on his belt, hefting his shield up before rushing out after Thor. He slows as he enters the hall, careful not to slip on the frost that has crawled along the floors and walls. He can see Thor up ahead, stomping hard enough that the ice merely cracks beneath his boots. 

"Thor!" Steve shouts. "Stop! We need to—" 

Steve breaks off as a hulking blue creature appears to fill the hallway. His head is hunched down in order for it to fit inside though he is not very wide, and his eyes are a bright glowing red. Steve grips his shield, moving to stand beside Thor. 

"Frost giant!" Thor shouts. "State your purpose here." 

"I owe no explanations to you, banished as you are," the giant hisses. "Where is the little prince? It is him we would speak to." 

Steve glances behind the giant and sees another laying in wait, its hands curled to fists, hunched almost on all fours in order to allow for better movement within the small stone hallway. 

Thor narrows his eyes. "I am trying to be reasonable," he says. "You will speak to me." 

"Your magic is gone," the second giant says, his red eyes shining over the other's shoulder. "You are a fragile little thing."

"I am still a Prince of Asgard," Thor shouts. 

"There are no princes of Asgard left," the giant laughs. "You have lost the title, and the other never truly had it." 

Thor falters slightly. "What do you know of the matters of Asgard?" he demands. 

"You think we did not feel it, when you fell?" the giant asks. "Though I admit we did not expect to find you here." 

"What did you expect to find here?" Steve asks carefully. "Why are you here?" 

The giant turns his red eyes on him. "You are leader of this world?" he asks. 

"No, but you can speak to me," Steve says. "I will relay what you tell me." 

"We are here to claim this world for our own," the giant sneers. 

"This world is already occupied," Steve says. "Sorry."

The giant throws out a hand, and ice shoots out, freezing Steve's boots instantly to the floor. Steve drops down, holding up his shield to block the flow of ice. The frost hits it and builds up around the shield, crawling slightly along the edges, though it doesn't cover any more of him. 

He hears Thor let out a cry of outrage, and turns just in time to see him move forward, deftly swinging the broomstick, and spearing the broken end up through the giant's chest. "Your fight is with me!" Thor shouts. "Leave the mortal be." 

"He is not the only mortal here," the giant says, grabbing the broomstick to pull it from his chest and toss it aside. He grabs Thor around the throat with one massive hand, lifting him up on his feet. Thor tries to gasp through the giant's grip as the frost starts to take hold of his skin, creeping out and leaving a blackened handprint on his throat; it's deadly fingers creeping out, past his collarbone and up along his chin. 

"You have troubled us long enough, Odinson," the giant hisses. "This fight really has nothing to do with you at all." 

The giant tosses Thor, sending him flying twenty feet, bouncing off a door before falling back onto the stone floor. His left arm lands beneath him, one leg bent in the wrong direction—and he can feel his skull crack.

It is pain like he has never known. He can feel his bones as they break, he can feel the blood leak out to bruise his skin. It is strange to be so mortal and vulnerable, and he thinks of all those he has slain, of all those battlefields he has stood laughing over. He thinks about the power he had wielded, and how helpless he is to be on the other side of it. He thinks of Loki and all his brilliantly phrased words, and how he never _listened_ or understood what they meant. 

And at that moment of making peace with it, that moment of thinking at least he will die trying to make it right—

At that moment, his power comes rushing back. 

He feels his bones meld all back together, fused even stronger before, while the frostbite sizzles away. The blood pours back into veins and starts pulsing through him like a current, driving his heart to stutter to a frenzied start. He opens his eyes and lifts his hand, just in time for Mjolnir to return to him. 

He closes his fist around it and climbs back to his feet, his armor spinning itself back around him like a second skin. He can feel the storm outside, the lightening at his fingertips. The power doesn't feel quite like it did before—before it had been taken for granted, wielded without thought and oft abused. 

It is no longer something he merely wields. It is now, and ever, a part of him from which he doubts he could survive a second separation. 

Thor steps forward, his skin unmarked, his hammer in hand. The frost giants step back. "You will tell me why you are truly here," Thor demands, moving in front of Steve and causing the giants to step back even further. "This planet is protected, as you well know, and we are at war. I am within my rights to kill you where you stand." 

"As we are you," the giant growls. 

"That, you have already tried," Thor says, swinging the hammer in one hand. "You are welcome to try again." 

Steve watches Thor with wide eyes, before turning his attention to his shield. He steadily attempts to work it out of the ice, but he worries he's not going to be able to get free in time to do any good. "Thor, what's just happened?" Steve demands. 

"Worry not, Steve," Thor says, keeping his eyes on the frost giants. "My hammer has returned to me." 

Steve pauses as he recognizes the object Thor is holding as the hammer they had left behind. He quickly dismisses it to puzzle over another time, and returns his attention to the frost giants. 

"You think we fear you, princess?" the giant hisses. 

"I think you would be wiser if you did," Thor says, meeting the giant's eyes steadily. "Leave this world. It is the one and only time I will ask." 

The giant laughs, stepping forward as a blade of ice grows around his arm. Thor does not hesitate—he drops to one knee, dragging Mjolnir towards the ground in a graceful arc. It connects with the stone floor and the entire foundation shudders, cracks in the cement breaking outwards as lightening flashes into existence from out of nowhere. 

The first frost giant has no chance. The lightening wraps around him like rope, dragging him burning to the floor. He barely has a chance to scream and he is turned to ash. The second one turns to run, but he does not make it further than three steps before the lightening crawls up his back, grabbing hold around him like tiny fingers to pull him back. 

His body is half burned away by the time he hits the ground. 

Steve tugs his shield loose, using it to break the ice imprisoning his feet. Thor turns back to face him, his newly acquired cape swirling around him, his eyes so brightly colored blue they look like pieces of the sky. 

"You may put away your protective barrier, Friend Steve," Thor says kindly. "The threat has for now passed."

* * * * *

"You're blaming _me_ for this?" Tony asks in outrage, one hand held over his arc reactor's pulsing light. "Your cube of doom is sucking the life out of me!"

"It's a Tesseract," Coulson says calmly. "And I wasn't blaming you. I simply said I was unsurprised that you were responsible for this." 

"Bruce, hold me back!" Tony yells. 

"You can't even stand," Bruce says in concern, sitting beside Tony and gripping one of his arms nevertheless. Then he turns to glare at Coulson. "This is not his fault. We were not given a proper briefing. It's irresponsible to think that a five minute presentation could have prepared us for that! There should be better conditions, never mind that—" 

"Agreed, Doctor," Coulson says. "And there will be time for those things to be addressed. Right now I need a solution, preferably before Stark drops dead." 

"Your concern, as always, Coulson, is touching," Tony snaps. 

"The cage," Bruce says thoughtfully, before standing up. "Do you have one here?" 

"What cage?" Tony asks, leaning his head on hand and closing his eyes. 

"The one they designed for me," Bruce says. "Is there one here?" 

Coulson does not bother pretending like he doesn't know what he's talking about. "Of course," he says. "We hardly would have risked bringing you here otherwise." 

"Right, okay," Bruce says. "We need to put the Tesseract in it. It's designed to cut off gamma rays and block all interference, it's an entirely sterile environment, yes?" 

Coulson nods. "I believe so," he says. "I'll have it transported immediately." 

"Please do," Bruce says. "And we have to get Tony as far from it as we can." 

Coulson moves aside to get on his radio and give out his orders, while Bruce sits back down beside Tony. "You can lean on me, okay? We've got to get you out of here," he says. 

"Doesn't matter," Tony says tiredly. "Distance isn't helping me. I doubt we'll get far enough to stop this. Either this is going to work or it's not; if not, driving down the freeway instead of sitting here with my coffee isn't going to make the slightest bit of difference. I'll be dead, either way." 

"There has to be something we can do," Bruce insists. 

Tony pulls out his cell phone and sets it on the table. "Jarvis," he says. "Call Pepper and tell her I need my replacement battery." 

"Certainly, sir. And where would you like her to bring it?" Jarvis asks. 

"SHIELDs super secret base in New Mexico," Tony says, waving a hand around dismissively. "She knows where it is." 

Coulson glares at him while he puts the radio away, but doesn't comment. "The Tesseract is secured in the cage," he says. "Is it getting any better, Stark?" 

Tony stares past Coulson with wide eyes. "Um, that depends, because either I've entered the hallucination stage or a Viking in a red cape just walked into the break room." 

Bruce glances up. "A Viking just walked into the break room," he says. 

"I don't know whether or not I should find that reassuring," Tony says, as he turns to look at Bruce. 

Steve moves around Thor, glancing at Tony for a moment in concern before looking at Coulson. "We had enemy combatants on the base," he says. "Thor identified them as frost giants. Aliens, sir."

"They have been demolished," Thor reassures them. 

"Is that—" Bruce motions towards Thor's hammer. 

"My hammer, yes! Mjolnir!" Thor says. "It has returned to me." 

Coulson stares at him for a moment, then he reaches into his suit jacket and pulls out a business card. "Thor," he says. "I think maybe we got off on the wrong foot." 

Thor takes the card in bemusement, turning it over and over as though searching for its purpose. 

"How would you like a job?" Coulson asks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Up: We return to our regularly scheduled Loki programming: the brothers are reunited, and our heroes assemble at last.


	4. Part III

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is looking like it might turn out to be one of the longest fanfics I've ever written, and there is so much I want to do with it that I've already got enough "deleted scenes" to make an entire fic of its own. As such, there will be angst, drama, humor, action, and hopefully a bit of mystery, by turns. I'm really sorry I wasn't clearer about this when I began, but I've never written anything quite like this before. 
> 
> A friend pointed out that what was probably causing the confusion was the lack of clear tags, so I have added more tags! This was originally meant to be light-hearted romance between Steve and Loki so there will be humorous sort of Avenger interludes to break up the seriousness. 
> 
> Also, thank you so much to everyone for the kudos and feedback! I'm working to get this written as quickly as possible, but my air conditioning is broke and it's been in the 100s (F), so I mostly come home from work and melt into a puddle on the floor. The story is broken up in my mind into rather large parts though, so hopefully that will make up for the time between updates! And now back to the story…

When that ancient power comes awake, Loki wakes with it. 

He is screaming before he remembers where he is, the cry torn viciously from his throat. The closely hung stars outside his window seem to pulse as he gasps to catch his breath, his blurred vision slowly correcting so that he can see clearly once again. 

He presses his hands to his eyes, and a memory surfaces in his mind from when he was a child. The story goes that he had gotten himself locked in Odin's vault. What he remembers is that he had been walking past it when he had heard some laughing voice, some siren call—he had held his palm to the lock until it unraveled and let him in, and stepped down the stone steps leading to the Asgard treasury. 

Spoils of war, mostly, held there like a warning. It is a warning that at the time, Loki had not realized might also apply to him. 

He only knew then that the blue box at the end of that hall was calling to him, tinting his vision violet, sending little trickles of power up his arms and legs. He does not remember approaching, so he is not sure that he did. 

He had woken up hours later in Frigga's arms with gaps in his memory and was told he locked himself in the vault. He did not tell them that locks would open for him if he asked, so that's how the story is always told. Curious little Loki, too clever for his own good. 

But what seems important now that he had not noted then is the look that had been in Frigga's eyes as she held him. Serious and focused so far away, like she could not see the child she held within her arms. "Loki," she had whispered, "you felt it too, didn't you?" 

Her words had prompted the memory, a phantom surge of that power that had called him, and he had nodded. He lied to everyone, except to Frigga. 

"You must never give into it, do you understand?" she had warned. "Power like ours, it must have limits. Power like that, we cannot possess, because it will possess us. You must promise me you won't go back into the vault." 

Loki had promised her that he wouldn't, and in all these long years he hasn't—but Loki never keeps his promises forever, not even the ones he has sworn to Frigga.

He does not waste time trying to still his trembling limbs, but forces himself to his feet and drags a green cloak up over his shoulders. His image flickers out before he exits the room, his invisibility spell wrapping itself tightly around him as he steps unseen past the guards left by Odin. 

He heads straight to the vault, and allows the invisibility to scatter to the wind and reveal him as he approaches the doors. He no longer needs contact to open a lock, and the doors open before him—it is a wasteful use of magic considering his weakened state, and it's draining him already, but the guards his father keeps in the vault cannot see weakness now. 

They look startled to see him, but Loki pays them very little attention. "Wait outside," he commands simply. 

"Prince Loki," one guard says hesitantly. "We are under orders from the King to—"

"You were told to keep me within the palace," Loki says. "I am within it." 

The guard glares at him, frustrated in that way people tend to get when Loki uses words against them—phrases things in such a way that they cannot argue against him. "I do not believe the King—" 

"You think to speak for the King?" Loki asks quietly, leaning down to meet his eyes. "That is a very dangerous thing to do. Leave me. I will not ask again." Loki's calm tone serves as much of a warning to the guards as would one of Thor's tantrums. Loki is always at his most dangerous when he is unfailingly collected, and Asgard has learned this lesson well. 

"As you command, my prince," one of the guards says, bowing slightly to him and motioning the other to follow. 

Loki turns to watch them leave, and does not turn back around until the door has shut firmly behind them. Then he moves, turning to look at the Casket of Ancient Winters. 

The box looks even more alive than Loki remembers it—its power caught and caged, swirling around and bouncing off the glass walls as mad captured things are wont to do. Loki knows that if he were to open it, winter would fall over Asgard like a shadow. It would cover this world in unforgiving ice at a single misstep, one simple wrong move. 

Odin does so like to collect dangerous things. 

Loki does not care about the purpose that earned this relic its name. He can see now what else it is. A conduit of some unstoppable force, a fragment of something uncontainable contained. He does not know what magic could have done this, or how it had ever come to be in Jotun hands. 

He only knows, somehow, that the power in that Casket is trying to answer a call. Loki has heard it himself. Something has awoken—something even more ancient than this, perhaps even its origin. Loki reaches out a hand, and lets it hover above the box, colored blue by its artificial light, but not Jotun blue, not yet. 

He steps closer, his hands clasping the edges of the box, and visions flashes behind his eyes, pictures moving so fast he almost can't understand what they are. He sees Thor, mortal and bleeding, and a glimpse of a man with him, before he is hidden behind a shield. 

The power, whatever it is, has awoken on Midgard. 

Loki lets go, stepping back, his breath catching in this throat. He looks at his hands just in time to see the white rush back down to cover the blue that has appeared. Loki takes a deep shuddering breath, clenches his hands to fists, and asks, "You know what's happening?" 

Loki doesn't have to turn around to imagine what Odin looks like as he stands at the top of the stairs, regal and holding his staff, seeing far more with that one eye than any but Heimdall can see with two. 

"I do," Odin answers. 

"Then you know you must allow me to stop it," Loki says, spinning to face him. "You must send me to Midgard." 

"It is not your fight," Odin says simply. 

"Thor is mortal," Loki shouts. "This is power that is more ancient even than us; and it is in the hands of mortals and _frost giants_!" 

"You will not leave Asgard!" Odin's voice booms.

Loki comes to the realization at that moment that he is still Odin's son, otherwise he would surely be terrified when confronted with him like this. He knows, in his heart, that Odin will not hurt him, and it gives him the strength to step closer to his wrath rather than away. 

"I have tried to follow your command, but something has awoken, father, and I fear for us all," Loki says. "It is being meddled with by those that do not understand what it is." 

"And you understand what it is?" Odin asks. 

"I can hear it, it speaks and calls, it is magic that only the Casket can compare to," Loki says. "But if you allow me to go down there, I believe I can control it before it is too late." 

"Perhaps I should," Odin says, sounding thoughtful as his eye moves past Loki to land on the Casket. "But if I let you go down there to stop this, Loki, I fear Thor will never find his way back." 

"Is this a test?" Loki asks in disbelief, walking to the bottom of the steps. He looks up at Odin in disbelief. "You strip Thor of all his defenses and put him against this?" 

"If he fights for the right reasons, he will have the strength needed to win," Odin says. "That I can promise." 

Loki watches Odin carefully. "You're not nearly concerned enough," he says after a moment. "Which means you already know what it is." 

"I am monitoring the situation," Odin allows. "You need to trust me, and stay away from the Casket." 

"Afraid someone might see what I truly am?" Loki asks. 

"I am afraid it will make you something you are not," Odin says. "Please, Loki. Do as you're told." 

Loki walks up the steps, glaring at Odin as he passes him. "Of course, father," he says, bowing slightly in a mockery of submission that he does not bother to mask. 

"Your time to act will come," Odin promises, though he does not turn to watch Loki leave. "But it is not now." 

"No," Loki agrees. "I will come trailing by sometime after Thor, as usual." 

Loki slams the doors shut with a flick of his wrist, before Odin can say another word.

* * * * *

Odin enchants the vault doors to open only to him, a measure that should, at the very least, make it more difficult for Loki to get in—then he saddles Sleipnir and rides across the Bifrost bridge. He feels the change when he's half across, the tingling call of his magic from very far away, brought once more to life. Heimdall does not look surprised to see him as he dismounts.

"My King," he says. 

"Can you see Thor?" Odin asks. "Someone has taken up Mjolnir." 

"It is in Thor's hands," Heimdall assures him. "Frost giants were on Midgard, two of them together, a fight Thor would have lost had he not regained his powers. They are dead." 

"Then he is safe," Odin says, letting out a held breath. 

"He is," Heimdall agrees. "And he is perhaps not the son you should be concerned with." 

"Loki is back in his chambers," Odin says dismissively. "I have taken measures to keep him under watch. He will not get so close to the Casket again." 

"I would not recommend holding any certainty of anything in regard to Loki. He is powerful," the Gatekeeper says. "The others go with weapons, but he needs none—all he can do he can do from within. It makes him dangerous. There is nothing for you to take away." 

"He is clever," Odin says. "He does not act rashly as does Thor." 

"Yes, and that should worry you further still," he says. "He only believed what lies you told him for so long because he lies as well to himself as he does to everyone else." 

"Be careful of your words, Heimdall. I will not have you speak as though he is an enemy," Odin says. 

"You misunderstand," Heimdall says. "I merely advise against making one of him." 

"He is my son," Odin says. "He will not betray us." 

"My King," Heimdall says kindly. "It is you that has betrayed him." 

"He was abandoned," Odin snaps harshly. "You would have had me leave him there? He was but a half-giant, too small to have survived on his own." 

"If you had sought my counsel on the matter I would have advised you toss him back," Heimdall says evenly. 

"Yes, well, that is the very reason why I didn't," Odin says. "He was part Vanir. I could not leave him. The Jotuns would never have allowed him to live." 

"They would not, though it may be an error to mistake their reasons for brutality or carelessness. The Norns were present at Loki's birth, and spoke out his fate to all who were present. And so Laufey did what anyone afraid of losing power would. He sought to destroy his competition."

"He was a child," Odin sneers. 

"Yes, and easy to kill," Heimdall. "I suspect it will not be so easy a task now." 

"Sometimes I fear your reach extends too far, Heimdall," Odin sighs. "You can no longer see those that are right in front of you." 

"Perhaps," he allows. "There are certainly times I cannot see Loki at all, it is as though he walks outside the edge of the universe, and he knows very well that he does. He hides from me deliberately, the way only one other can."

"And he worries he might not be my son," Odin says, grinning tightly before turning to look back towards the city. "I fear if anything we are far too alike." 

"It is a valid fear," Heimdall says.

Odin turns back to pierce Heimdall through with his one-eyed gaze. "I came to tell you that you are to allow Thor safe passage if he requests to return," he snaps. "His banishment was lifted at the same moment he lifted Mjolnir." 

"I will see him safely home," Heimdall says. "But he has not yet called my name." 

"What is he doing?" Odin asks. 

"He strives to make an alliance with the Midgardians, but they distrust him," Heimdall says. "The task would better fall to Loki, who, despite being less trustworthy is far more adept at getting people to agree to what he says." 

"It will no doubt come to that," Odin says. "Something is coming, I am certain, and this is a task that will take both my sons, but I will allow Thor to continue his efforts alone for now. He is learning, and I have no wish to interfere. When he returns we will decide a course of action." 

"Then I will wait, as I always wait," Heimdall says. "And I will send him to you when he comes."

* * * * *

Tony ignores the concerned little glances Bruce keeps throwing him as he downs six aspirins and drowns them with Pepsi. Bruce, it seems, takes his role as science boyfriend quite seriously. Tony now effectively has two spouses with all of the nagging and none of the fun: Pepper and Bruce.

Pepper had already gotten her need to lecture out of her system when she brought him the replacement battery and he forced her to assist him in putting it in. Then once it was pronounced that Tony would live, she had left in huff, mumbling something about going off to run his company for him. 

That was bad enough. Bruce is even worse. He doesn't even _say_ anything, just gives disapproving looks with his big sad eyes. It's disconcertingly easy to forget the guy could squash him like a bug if he got him mad enough. 

"You should still be in medical," Bruce says, apparently no longer able to hold it in. 

"That was nothing," Tony assures him. "I'm good as new—I'm like the Energizer Bunny." 

"Prone to running around in circles and annoying as hell?" Clint asks, as he and Natasha join them in the briefing room. 

Tony searches for a suitable retort and can't find one, so he just sits there angrily and glares at Clint. He can't believe he lost a verbal match to _Clint_ —maybe Bruce is right and he should still be in medical. 

Luckily, he is saved from more awkward silence and Clint's smug look by the rather boisterous entrance of a Viking. It's kind of hard to be the center of attention when a Viking is present, even for someone like Tony. 

"Midgardians!" Thor shouts, grinning at them. "I hope we can now meet on better terms than we did last." 

"You mean when you were running around beating people up and I was deciding whether or not to shoot you?" Clint asks. 

"Yes," Thor says, his optimism apparently unscathed. "But now we may all be friends!" 

Thor sits down at the end of the table, beaming at them all. "Truly, Midgard has become a most amazing place since last I was here. I could not quite properly enjoy it before, but my friend Steve has shown me many a wondrous thing. I have never before tasted such a delicacy as your Pop Tarts!" 

"I didn't even know Steve knew about Pop Tarts," Tony says. "He still can't properly describe a mini-van." 

"The Pop Tarts were clearly marked," Steve explains, as he heads in to join them, with Fury right behind him. Steve sits down between Bruce and Thor as Fury goes to the other head of the table. 

Fury stays standing, crossing his arms as he looks across the table at Thor. "Thor," he says. "I'd like to thank you for your assistance." 

"It is my duty," Thor says simply. 

"Well, nevertheless," Fury says. "We would like to get our facts straight. Just who exactly are you? And where are you from?" 

"I am Thor," Thor says, frowning a bit as though wondering why he must explain this again. "I come from Asgard." 

"Asgard is a planet?" Tony asks, ignoring the look Fury throws him that is obviously meant to shut him up. 

"It is not a planet as you would understand it, it is a plane, a summit of the universe—on Asgard, you can walk off the edge of the world, instead of traveling around in circles," Thor explains. 

"That's fascinating," Bruce says, eyes wide. "How do you even have an atmosphere? Gravity? _Weather_? How do you—" 

"I do not understand your terms," Thor breaks in gently. "Except for weather, and for that the answer is me. I am the God of Thunder." 

"While this is certainly _fascinating_ ," Fury interrupts, glaring at Bruce, "it is not relevant at the moment. What I'd like to know about is your world's capabilities." 

"We are Gods," Thor explains. 

"Right, elaborate on that," Fury says. 

"We are the most powerful beings in the known universe, and work to keep the peace throughout the Nine Realms," Thor says. "My father, the All-Father, rules over Asgard and oversees the other realms. We do not interfere unless necessary." 

"Necessary being?" Fury asks. 

"Something such as what you call the Tesseract being used by the Jotuns as a weapon of war," Thor says, leaning forward, brow scrunched in concern. "You understand this is something we cannot allow?" 

"The Tesseract is in our possession," Fury says. "Just what are you suggesting?" 

"I must return with it to Asgard," Thor says.

"Out of the question," Fury says. 

"The Jotuns have found a way to use this device to invade your world," Thor says, watching Fury carefully. "They have razed these lands before, though so long ago you have all forgotten. We are at war with the Jotun, and as they cannot reach us directly, you can be assured they will attempt to do so through you. Allow me to take it somewhere it can do no further harm." 

"We have it contained," Fury states simply. 

"You do not have the means to contain it," Thor protests. "You must listen to reason. I too have allowed my own search for glory to put innocents at risk, and I ask you please do not do this. If you do there will be war." 

"Are you threatening us?" Fury demands. 

"I have no need to threaten you," Thor states calmly. "If I wished you harm I would do nothing and simply leave the Tesseract with you." 

"You need to understand our position in this, Thor," Fury says, his voice the faux-reasonable tone that he often uses when speaking to Tony. "You said you were disowned, how do we know you're not some renegade? How should I trust you to speak for your race? We know nothing about you." 

"You have seen my power," Thor snaps. 

"I have yet to see its source," Fury says. "For all I know you're tapped into that cube too. That weapon you're using is close enough to it I wouldn't be surprised." 

Thor frowns, looking away. "Then I will return home," he states clearly. "I will seek out my father, and if he agrees I will return here to act as ambassador and help safeguard you against this power. Is this suitable?" 

Fury would like to protest, but he knows that look in Thor's eyes. Thor took out twelve of his best men in under ten minutes—and that was without the powers he had now. They both know Fury doesn't have a choice here, they have no chance of stopping Thor from doing anything. 

At least not yet. 

"It's a deal," Fury says.

* * * * *

Thor decides against showing the mortals the Bifrost site. They do not trust him; and Loki has told him many times, _do not trust those that do not trust you, and trust those that do even less._ He's never entirely worked out the subtleties of his brother's advice, but has taken from it that he should not trust anyone.

So he will be cautious for now. He flies to the Bifrost site, high and fast enough that he believes they cannot possibly have tracked him. He lands and stands there for a moment, searching the sky for signs. He remembers all too well calling for Heimdall on Jotunheim and receiving no answer. 

He was banished—it is possible Odin meant for him to reclaim his hammer and return, but it is equally possible that he has been banished for good. Once he calls Heimdall's name there will be no more uncertainty, he will either answer or he will not. It takes him a moment to find his voice. 

"Heimdall!" Thor calls. "Heimdall, open the Bifrost!" 

He feels the sudden ripping pull and closes his eyes in relief as he dragged through the void, tugged upwards and tossed out. He drags in a disbelieving breath as he appears back in Asgard. Heimdall is up on the dais, hands on either side of his sword. 

"Prince Odinson," he says, though his gaze stays focused somewhere far away. 

"Am I welcome here?" Thor asks quietly. 

"You are expected," he says. 

"But am I welcome?" Thor asks. 

"If you were not welcome, you would not be here," Heimdall tells him, which is not as reassuring as perhaps it was meant. "They wait for you at the throne."

Thor leaves the Bifrost and walks across the bridge alone, through the darkened city towards the throne. He sees very few people, and suspects it must be very late here. He is relieved not to have to face anyone yet—he is still unsure of the welcome he will have from his father, let alone from everyone else in the kingdom. 

The throne room guards open the doors with their eyes straight ahead, not so much as twitching as he approaches. He moves past them, eyes focused on where his father sits on his throne. 

His mother and Loki are to the left on the stairs, and it is obvious that Heimdall has warned them of his coming. He wants to run them, but this is not the time. Frigga smiles at him briefly, slightly nodding her head, but Loki will not even meet his eyes. Thor hides his frown as he stops to kneel before his father, wondering why Loki still looks ill. 

Odin gets to his feet, stepping closer and smiling slightly. "Rise, my son," he says. "You have proven your worth." 

Thor gets back to his feet, and Odin clasps him on the shoulders with a nod. The moment he lets go, Frigga is in his arms. "Welcome home, my son," she whispers. 

Thor's eyes seek Loki, only to find he has not moved. Loki gives him a half-grin, eyes focused on the ground. "Thor," he says, and it is a greeting and some kind of warning all in one.

Thor will have to talk with Loki soon, but now he allows him his distance and turns back to Odin. "Father, there were Jotuns on Midgard," he says. 

"Yes, they have harnessed the power of the Tesseract somehow," Odin says, frowning as he turns around and returns to his throne. "I left the Tesseract in the keeping of Midgard after the last war, and it has been buried and silent for centuries. Something has awoken it." 

Thor nods. "I believe it was the mortals," he says, hesitant to make his new friends targets, but knowing he needs to give his father the whole truth. "They have been experimenting with it." 

"It is not them alone," Loki says, and Thor's head spins in his direction at his voice. "There are a number of forces at work." 

Frigga returns to Loki's side, watching him in concern for a moment before turning back to face Thor. "The Casket, it has also awoken," she explains. 

"It is part of this," Loki says. 

"Yes," Odin agrees. 

"The Casket is here," Thor protests. "Is it not safe?" 

"It is here now, but it was on Jotunhiem for a millennia," Loki says, voice still strangely toneless, as though he were keeping all emotion from his words. "Something that powerful had to have left traces, a kind of doorway." 

"Why would they not have used it before?" Thor asks. 

"They had no way to open it, but now it has been opened from the other side," Odin says. "They will be able to use it now, as long as it remains open." 

"Then the Jotuns can invade Midgard," Thor says, his hand clenching around Mjolnir. "We cannot allow it." 

"No, and the Midgardians can no longer be trusted with the Tesseract," Odin agrees. "We must bring it back to Asgard." 

"I have explained the dangers, but the mortals will not part with it," Thor says. "Father, we cannot go to war with them over this, it will be a massacre." 

"And if we give in to their petty demands? The Jotun will not be as obliging," Odin snaps.

"I can find it," Loki says, finally looking up. "Father, leave the task with me. I will have it here by tomorrow."

Odin glances at him. "No, Thor is correct, though it pains me to let them make demands, our relations with Midgard will be damaged if we steal it now," he says thoughtfully. "They will know it was us." 

"But they will be unable to strike against us," Loki insists, stepping forward. "They are primitive." 

"Brother, they have a great many wonders on Midgard, truly!" Thor protests. "They have created metal steeds in which to ride, and a small metal box that heats their food!" 

Loki looks at Thor then, seeming startled. He opens his mouth, and closes it again. Frigga wraps a hand around his arm, tugging him back beside her. She looks up at Odin. "Then we will have to create a relationship with them, earn their trust until they decide to give us the Tesseract willingly," she says. 

Odin nods. "I agree," he says. 

"I would like to offer myself as ambassador," Thor says. 

Odin looks between his sons, and then nods firmly. "You and Loki will both go to Midgard, to establish relations on my behalf," he says. "I want you to make an alliance with the Midgardians and explain the threat of war. As long as they insist on keeping the Tesseract we cannot allow it to be unguarded."

Odin focuses on Thor. "You will act as protector," he says, before turning to Loki. "And, Loki, you will define the terms of our alliance, and attempt to get them to return the Tesseract to us." 

"And if reason should fail?" Loki inquiries gently. 

"If that should fail," Odin echoes, "then take it from them. We cannot leave it in their hands."

Thor frowns, but does not protest. He knows that he will not be doing the Midgardians any favors by leaving the Tesseract with them. "We should leave at once," he says. 

"You have only just returned," Frigga chides. "You will rest tonight. Heimdall will let us know if there is cause for you to return any sooner than the morning." 

"Yes," Odin agrees. "You both need rest, and I have preparations to make. Be at the Bifrost and ready to depart at dawn." 

Odin holds out a hand, which Frigga walks up the steps to take. Odin gives a final sharp nod, and then they depart, leaving Loki and Thor alone. 

Loki looks uncharacteristically nervous, and still does not meet Thor's eyes. Thor steps forward in concern. "Loki, are you well? You look much improved but—" 

"I am fine," Loki says. "I am glad to see you safely returned. I was…concerned." 

Concerned, coming from Loki, was akin to anyone else being distraught. Thor's frown deepens. "Brother—" 

Loki turns away and starts for the doors. "We both need our rest," he says simply. "I will see you tomorrow." 

"Loki!" Thor's voice booms, echoed by the sound of distant thunder. Loki pauses at the bottom of the steps but does not turn around. He is prepared to disappear from the room, as he has so many times in the wake of Thor's anger, but then Thor's voice breaks over him again, quiet and sad and pleading and so unlike him that Loki has to look back. 

"Please," Thor says. "Talk to me." 

Thor watches Loki carefully as he finally faces him. He is in his formal armor, though he is not wearing his helmet. There are dark circles under his eyes, another sign that he has not yet recovered fully from his injuries. Even with everything that Thor has been through since his banishment, the worst part of it was not being able to be with Loki when he needs him the most. 

Thor _always_ needs Loki, but the one time Loki had needed him he wasn't there. 

"I'm sorry," Thor says. 

Loki laughs, strained and sort of disbelieving, and meets his eyes head on. "You're _sorry_?" he repeats. "Whatever for?" 

"I should have been here," Thor says. "I should not have needed to be banished to see the damage I was causing with my reckless need for battle—you needed me and I—"

"I need no one," Loki says, and excellent liar that he is, it sounds indistinguishable from truth. 

Thor ignores it, recognizing it for what is, though he wonders if he would have seen through Loki's mask before all of this. He wonders if he would have reacted instead in anger as he had so many times before, screaming back while Loki remains calm, his every quiet word meant to wound. Sometimes Thor forgets Loki loves the thrill of battle every bit as much as him, it is merely their chosen weapons that differ. 

"Nevertheless," Thor says evenly, careful not to dispute Loki's claim. "I hope you know I meant what I said before I left. That we are not bound by blood changes nothing between us. That you are Jotun may have opened my eyes as to how I view others, but it has not changed how I view you." 

"Stop it," Loki demands softly. "Don't do this." 

"Why not?" Thor asks. "Why will you not let me apologize—?" 

"Because it is my fault more than it is yours!" Loki shouts. "I knew this would happen, I knew you would be punished for that foolish quest before we even left." 

"It does not matter," Thor says. "That you knew means only that you did not need the lesson. You could not have stopped me, even had you tried." 

Thor is certain of that. Loki has tried to talk sense into him no small number of times before. Sometimes Thor would let himself be talked around, if only for Loki and only very rarely. But he still remembers his excitement before they left for Jotunhiem, his blind arrogance that he would claim the sword of Surtur and come home to adulation and rewards. 

It is no small bit of irony that even had that happened, it would not have been deserved. He didn't find the sword—all those many quests before him, all of those many brave warriors that had returned empty handed, none of them had been able to fulfill this quest. 

And Loki goes to Jotunhiem and finds it within a day. 

"Is that what you have worried over, all this time?" Thor demands. "You wanting to get me into trouble has nothing to do with any sort of maliciousness, and everything to do with being my little brother." 

Loki laughs again, though it is less desperate than before, and tinged with relief. "I do take that duty seriously," he agrees. 

Thor moves first, surging forward to pull Loki into his arms. He braces one hand on the back of Loki's neck, holding him close. "You are my brother, always," Thor promises. 

"Always is a long time," Loki says. "You might come to regret that promise, someday." 

Thor just holds on, because for once Loki is not protesting that he can't breath or pushing him away; and whether he'll admit it or not, Thor knows Loki needs him, too. 

"I think I can handle you," Thor says. "You're the one that got the bad deal. You're stuck with me." 

"That's true," Loki laughs, and Thor finally lets him go. Loki looks up at him, and the spark is back in his eyes where it belongs. "But I don't think either of us should be worried, because together we can handle anything. It's the rest of the Nine Realms that ought to worry." 

Thor laughs, throwing an arm around Loki as they start for their rooms. "You are going to behave on Midgard, aren't you, Loki?" he asks. 

"I have been locked up in this palace for days, guarded every moment, and under the constant watch of mother and father," Loki says. 

Thor sighs. "I was afraid you were going to say that," he says. 

Loki pulls away, heading towards his chambers. "Don't look so worried, Thor," he says, as he disappears inside. "You said you could handle me!" 

Thor turns to his own chambers with a heavy sigh. His banishment has not cured of him all of his arrogance, it seems, as any claim to be able to handle Loki was bound to land him in trouble.

* * * * *

Thor gets to the Bifrost just before dawn, and is unsurprised to see Loki already there. He's already inside of the Bifrost, tolerating Frigga's fussing, while Heimdall and Odin are deep in conversation. Odin steps away when he sees Thor's approach, and catches his arm before he can join Loki and Frigga.

"Thor," Odin says gravely. "I need you to keep careful watch upon your brother while you are on Midgard. He is hiding something from us." 

"Father?" Thor questions. 

"He knows more about this magic than he claims," Odin explains wryly. "But he does not tell needlessly that which he could as easily keep to himself." 

Thor nods, and carefully does not point out that Odin is the same way. 

"I fear his connection to this power," Odin says. "The Jotuns were connected to the Casket once, it gave them powers they would not otherwise have had and it was what allowed them to travel to Midgard the first time. Loki did not grow up on Jotunhiem, but he has grown up with the Casket always below his feet. I think he is connected to it in ways even I cannot understand." 

"Are you certain he should not stay here?" Thor asks, wincing as he does at the betrayal. It's not that he doesn't trust Loki, because he _does_ , and trusting Loki gets them both into trouble more often than not. 

"If I thought I could keep him here, I might attempt it," Odin says. "But he will go to the Tesseract, one way or another, and in any case his skills will be needed." 

Thor nods. "I will protect him," he swears. 

Odin lets Thor go with a nod, and then leads them into the Bifrost. He lifts a clear container with metal on either side of it that has been intricately decorated with ancient words and symbols. Thor does not know what it means, but recognizes Odin's magic. 

"This will close the doorway the Tesseract has opened between Midgard and Jotunhiem," Odin tells them. "You must have it placed inside, whether or not you convince them to give it over to your care. If you are unable to get them to agree, you will need to find a way to do it without their consent." 

Odin hands the container to Loki, who is better suited to safeguard its magic. He motions then to Frigga that they must leave, and heads back towards the bridge. "I have instructed Heimdall to send you as close to the Midgardian base that holds the Tesseract as possible," Odin tells them. "Fare well, my sons." 

Frigga places a kiss at Loki's temple before reaching and squeezing Thor's arm. "Take care of each other," she tells them, and then follows Odin out. 

Thor looks back at them, but they are almost instantly obscured as the Bifrost begins to spin. Heimdall recites his warning speech, and Thor meets Loki's eyes. 

"Are you ready for this, brother?" he asks. 

"You survived there as a mortal," Loki replies wryly. "I'll be fine." 

Thor laughs as they are dragged again out of Asgard and into the void. Thor lets it take him, and it feels much less like falling than it had the time before. 

It feels more like _flying_.

* * * * *

They appear in the desert, on the edge of a cliff. It overlooks SHIELDs base, and Loki scans it with distaste. "They don't put much artistic flair into their buildings, do they? It looks like a carved stone."

"I am told it is a secret base," Thor says, face scrunched up in thought. "Perhaps their intention is to have it overlooked." 

Loki reaches out and grabs Thor's wrist, teleporting them to the doors. "If that's the case they have failed rather spectacularly," Loki says. "It's the only thing for miles, and therefore impossible to miss." 

"You should give the Midgardians a chance, brother!" Thor says. "I think you will like them." 

"Hmm, we'll see," Loki says. "They have any number of security devices here to monitor activity. I am bypassing them all, but I will let down our cloaks once we are inside." 

Thor nods. "They know me! We will be greeted as old friends, I am sure," he says, pushing through the doors. He barely takes three steps inside before he is surrounded by guards pointing their strange projectile weapons at him. 

"Woah! Hold on, jeez, trigger-happy much?" Tony shouts, rushing forward with Steve, Natasha and Clint behind him. "He's a friendly! Steve, call off the rabid dogs!" 

"It's okay!" Steve calls. "Stand down." 

The guards reluctantly holster their weapons, and then disappear as quickly as they'd come. Thor doesn't look fazed. "Friend Steve!" he says. "Starkson! And others!" 

"I'm Clint," Clint introduces himself, " and this is Natasha." 

"Well met, I am Thor, God of Thunder," Thor says brightly. "And allow me to introduce to you my brother, Loki!" 

The Avengers stare at the empty space that Thor motions to. The lobby is empty but for the receptionist, who is leaning half across the counter in conversation with a field agent in a nice suit. No Vikings. They turn back to Thor, and Tony crosses his arms. "Is your brother invisible?" he asks. 

"Oh! Is he?" Thor asks, turning to the space. "Loki?" he questions the space quietly, before glancing around. "Loki!" He stomps over to the receptionist center and grabs the man in the suit by the arm, before tugging him along behind him. 

"This is my brother," Thor says proudly, and everyone stares at him disbelief. 

Loki is wearing what looks to be a suit expensive enough to rival one of Tony's, a scarf casually loose around his neck. "Mortals," he greets, before turning his attention to his brother. "That woman has written some sort of code upon my flesh," he says, frowning down at a series of seven numbers across his palm. "I think she expects me to solve it to prove I am worthy to court her." 

Thor grabs Loki's hand, tracing the numbers with concern. He turns a glare on the Avengers. "What sort of magic is this? My brother is a Prince of Asgard! He is already worthy!" 

"Woah, calm down there, big buy," Tony says. "She obviously already thinks he's worthy too, she was propositioning him. You know what I mean." 

"I do not," Loki says, turning his sharp gaze on Tony. "Explain." 

Tony finds himself at a rare loss for words. Very unlike Thor's open and questioning glances, which were just _too much fun not to mess with_ , Loki's eyes are clever and assessing, and also, _laughing_? 

Tony gives a slow grin. "You're messing with us," he guesses. 

Loki returns Tony's grin briefly, clenching his hand for a moment and opening it again with the numbers gone. "I do not know what you mean," he says, turning sad eyes towards his brother, the flash of a grin gone. "Your mortal friend mocks me, Thor." 

Thor moves in front of Loki, glaring at Tony. "You will not mock my brother," he commands. "Apologize." 

"Apologize? Are you kidding me—?" Tony says, 

"You should just apologize Tony," Steve advises. "Let's all try and get along, okay?" 

Loki turns towards the new voice, chills crawling up at his back at the sound of it. He recognizes the face from his vision at the Casket, the warrior that had stood beside his brother. "It's alright," Loki says, without taking his eyes from Steve. "No harm done." 

"So, Loki, huh?" Tony interrupts. "As in the God of Mischief Loki?" 

"Is that what you call me here?" Loki asks, pulling his eyes from Steve to move his gaze across the room. "I suppose it is fitting. Mischief, Lies, Incredible Cunning. Call me what you will." 

"And modest too," Tony says, before letting out a strangled sound and shooting a glare at Natasha, who stands looking innocent beside him. 

Natasha smiles at them winningly, looking professional and unassuming and not al all like she knows how to kill someone with the paperclip hooked to the clipboard she holds. "It's a pleasure to have you here, of course," she says. "Director Fury has been told of your arrival and he would like meet with you both, if that's acceptable?" 

"He is the leader of your world?" Loki questions, assessing the woman carefully. He watches her easy smile and returns it with one of his own, sensing something hiding deep beneath it. Liars know liars, always. 

"He is the Director of SHIELD, which is the first defense for this world," Natasha explains easily. 

"This is…your world's best warriors?" Thor asks hesitantly, looking around at all the people walking by in neatly pressed suits, what weapons they wear concealed from view, with an expression close to mortification. 

Loki glances at Thor, irritated by his shortsightedness. "Brother, at this moment we have no less than twenty guns trained on us, and while it would of course be ineffective it would be a painful annoyance nonetheless. Don't be so hard on them."

Natasha's smile freezes as she watches Loki, noting his casual acceptance of both their methods as well as his less than subtle comment that it would not be nearly enough to stop either of them. Based on their experience with Thor, they had not been prepared for the Asgardians to need such careful handling. 

"Merely a safety measure, I assure you," she says. "You're in no danger." 

"I had not feared otherwise," Loki says, ignoring Thor as he squints around them looking for the hidden warriors. 

"Well, this is sort of awkward," Tony says. 

"If you'll follow me," Natasha says, ignoring Tony. She spins on her heel and starts down the hall. Loki and Thor follow her, with the others coming up behind them. 

Loki suspects they are here in part to keep them in line, and watches them in the reflections of the glass panels along the hallway as they walk. He moves his gaze from one to the other to assess their weaknesses and strength. He is not so arrogant as to write them off without a second glance, though Thor seems secure enough in his ability to handle any that might come at him. 

The one Thor calls Starkson that has the strange energy capsule in his chest and speaks far too much seems harmless physically, but Loki recognizes the intelligence in his eyes—he is clever, and Loki knows the dangers of being clever well. 

The man named Clint is also clever, if not in quite such obvious ways. It is a trait Loki is amused to discover the Midgardians seem to value. It was watching Clint that had tipped him off to the snipers hidden along the rafters; it is impressive that the human had spotted them first, as Loki is fairly certain they had not appeared at his command. Loki had noticed his gaze wandering and followed it to the snipers, though Clint's expression had given nothing away as he easily returned his gaze to the woman. 

The woman, Natasha, Loki thinks might be the most dangerous of all of them. There is something very dark in her eyes that she has tamed and learned to control; like a dragon that has been chained. Loki suspects she thinks rather the same way he does. He can see in her eyes that she is arranging her words in order to get the response that she wants, guessing for the reactions and planning everything out three steps ahead of everyone else. 

Well, not ahead of _him_ , but he's still impressed. 

Then there is the one that Thor calls Steve. Loki watches him carefully, noting the concerned glances that he keeps shooting at him and his brother. He is strong, Loki can tell in the way he walks, though he seems ill at ease with his surroundings. He looks more like a visitor in this place than one of its representatives. But he can remember that glimpse he saw of him as he touched the Casket, stood beside his brother to face the frost giants, and he hadn't looked unsure then. He was comfortable in battle—it was familiar to him. A warrior then, if unlike any of the others that Loki knows. 

Loki pulls his eyes back ahead of him when he hears a new voice, and he freezes, reaching out to grab Thor's arm and drag him back. He feels his heart speed up as he assesses the newcomer, reaching out for his magic and pulling it around him and Thor like a shield, one that he is not sure will even do any good. 

The man waves at them, smiling a little unsure. He is wearing a checkered shirt and white coat. He seems small, but Loki can see something straining inside of him attempting to get out, something hovering behind him like a green shadow—a kind of strength and power that Loki has never before seen in any sort of being, not even on Asgard. 

"What manner of God are you?" he breathes. 

"Usually I'm the one to get that sort of reaction," Tony says, looking down at his suit and smoothing it down. "I must be off my game." 

Bruce's eyes were wide. "I’m just, you know, a scientist." 

"Brother, are you unwell?" Thor whispers urgently. 

Loki abruptly lets Thor go, lessening his hold on his magic slightly. "I am fine," he says, though he keeps his eyes on Bruce. "You know what you have within you?" 

Bruce swallows, ignoring the sharp looks that Steve and Clint were throwing him. His identity is still supposed to be somewhat secret, though he supposes there's no point in keeping it now. "I do," he says. "I have it under control." 

Loki doubts that very much, but he has already given too much away with his reaction, so he smiles slightly and nods. "Forgive me my reaction," he says. "I was startled is all. It is nice to meet you, scientist."

"Bruce Banner," he says, holding out his hand. 

Loki has heard of this custom, and he carefully reaches out to take his hand, ignoring the sizzle of power that travels up his arm. "Loki," he says. 

Bruce watches him carefully. "You can see it, can't you?" he whispers. 

"It lurks in your shadow," Loki answers just as softly. "Follows your steps. It is waiting." 

"For what?" Bruce asks, trying to keep the desperation from his voice. 

"Only he or time will be able to tell," Loki tells him. 

Another man appeared at the end of the hall, carrying an air of contrived unobtrusiveness. He reminds Loki somewhat of Heimdall, who sees so much and says so little of what he sees. "It's just through here," the man says. 

"I don't believe we've been introduced," Loki states clearly, watching him carefully. 

The man's eyes move to his, though his surprise is hidden well. Loki suspects he is not used to being acknowledged—in fact he is rather sure that the man counts on going unnoticed. Loki grins as the man clears his throat. "Agent Phil Coulson," he states. 

"Son of Coul!" Thor booms. "It is good to see you well." 

"Thor," Coulson says, grinning tightly. 

Loki lets Natasha and Thor move ahead of him, keeping his gaze on Coulson, who allows the scrutiny with no sign of discomfort. Loki smirks as he sees a chink in his armor—a slight blush as Steve brushes by him. 

"After you," Coulson says, his voice still steady. 

Loki moves inside the room. It is not unlike the war rooms on Asgard, though it is rather less colorful. Everything is some version of gray, the stone walls, the table, the chairs. A man is standing at the other end of the room, and Loki assumes this is Director Fury. He has an eye patch, of all things, and Loki would almost think it contrived to make him ill at ease but that Odin has not been here for centuries. 

"Welcome to Earth," Fury says. 

Earth, Loki thinks, running the name across his mind. It is strangely appropriate for them—he still remembers when the people here thought their tiny little planet was the center of the universe. "Thank you for your hospitality," Loki says, his tone is gracious but he can see Natasha picks up on the undertone. 

Thor may have dismissed the many guns pointed them as insignificant, secure he was never going to be harmed—but Loki is far more concerned with the motivations behind the attempt. 

"My brother and I are here on behalf of Odin, King of Asgard," Loki says, taking a small object from his suit jacket, and giving it a quick twist. The Tesseract container grows until it is at its correct size, and Loki places it on the table as everyone takes their seats around it. "We have brought this as an act of goodwill, it will contain the Tesseract and prevent any more unwanted travelers from using it as a door." 

"Would you mind—?" Bruce asks, motioning to the container. 

Loki nods his assent and Bruce pulls it towards him, studying the markings carefully. Tony is staring between it and Loki and disbelief. "Are we just going to ignore the fact that he just pulled that thing out of thin air?" Tony asks. 

"My brother is a great sorcerer," Thor explains proudly. 

"It is a simple spell," Loki says dismissively, before returning his attention to Fury. "Our King would like to suggest an alliance with your world, and has sent my brother and I to be his ambassadors. We would, of course, be happy to share what knowledge we are able and to assist you in safeguarding your world from threats such as those the Tesseract has brought." 

"That sounds almost too good to be true," Fury says. "I think we both know you're only here for the Tesseract." 

"I understand and can even admire your suspicion," Loki says, head bent in a mockery of submission, "but I can assure you that is not the case. If I were merely here for the Tesseract I would already have taken it, and you would not have been able to stop me." 

"We do not wish to force this matter," Thor adds. "We would like to come to some sort of arrangement that benefits us all and assures our mutual goodwill." 

Fury watches them both carefully, and then nods. "I want to believe you both, but you have to understand we're at the disadvantage here," he says. "We have nothing but your word." 

Thor jumps from his seat. "You have the words of the Princes of Asgard!" he shouts. 

Loki places a hand on Thor's shoulder. "Sit down, brother," Loki says calmly. 

Thor continues to glare at Fury, but he slumps back into his seat. 

"I can understand your position," Loki says. "But what is it that you would suggest? How is it we are meant to prove our intent?" 

"The people around this table are the best this world has to offer," Fury says. "They're a team I have put together, to act as the first defense against our greatest threats. If you are sincere in your offers of goodwill, I would like you to work with them, get to know them, maybe help us out with a bad guy or two." 

Loki grins coolly. "You would make us into your indentured servants?" he asks wryly. "To gain something I could merely take if I so wished?" 

"Not servants," Fury corrects. "Consultants. You said you were willing to offer what knowledge you could, these are the people best suited to understand it. All I ask for is a month, after that we can meet again and reevaluate." 

"Our world is at the brink of war," Thor says. "Time is not something can easily give."

"My brother is correct," Loki says, "though if the war has begun before your month is up it is likely that it will have come here, so it might be best that we are as well. We agree to your proposal, with conditions. The Tesseract is to be put into the containment chamber I have brought immediately, and you will cease whatever experiments you have been attempting." 

Fury doesn't look any happier about this than Thor or Loki had been to his request, and Loki holds back his grin. If there can not be a negotiation where both parties get what they want, the next best thing is making sure both parties are forced to give up something they'd rather not. 

"We can do that," Fury says after a moment. He looks to Dr. Banner. "See that it gets done." 

"I will need to be there," Loki interrupts. "Only someone with magic will be able to properly seal the container." 

"I'm sure it doesn't have anything to do with not trusting us," Fury says tightly. 

"You do not trust us, Director Fury," Loki replies sweetly. "You can hardly hold it against us if we do not blindly trust you. As you said, we are required to prove our intentions through actions. This is as true of you as it is of us." 

Fury smiles tightly. "You're absolutely right," he says. "Dr. Banner, if you would escort them to the Tesseract?" 

Clint looks ready to protest Banner going off with them alone, but Tony speaks up first. "I'll come too!" he says, getting up. "I don't want to miss the magic show." 

"Sit down, Stark," Fury says. "Banner, take Greer and Meyers with you." 

Loki smirks at this, finding it somewhat amusing that they would send two human guards along in order to protect _Banner_ , who is possibly the only one here who stands a chance against him and Thor. But he says nothing, merely nods as he grabs up the containment chamber. 

"Take notes, Bruce!" Tony says, sitting back down sadly. "And shut the door behind you, so we can talk about you." 

Tony ignores the glare that Fury sends his way, still bitter about missing a sorcerer in action. He doesn't believe in _magic_ , it was just science he didn't understand yet. And Tony can't stand not understanding anything. 

Fury waits until the door is shut before crossing his arms and running his eyes over the group. "So what do we make of them?" he asks. 

"Loki is very smart, we're going to have to be careful with him," Natasha says hesitantly. "It was like he was looking right through me, and I like to think I'm pretty hard to read." 

"Also?" Tony adds. "Sorcerer. When he said he could just come in and take the Tesseract any time he wants, I don't think it was a bluff. I mean, has it occurred to anyone to wonder how they even got in here?" 

"None of the perimeter alarms were tripped," Clint agrees. "They just appeared in the lobby. Well, Thor just appeared in the lobby. Loki had a suit and what looked like an authentic SHIELD identification pass and was chatting up Meg."

"But aren't we missing the obvious here?" Steve asks. Everyone turns to look at him, and he leans against the table. "They could just take the Tesseract, but they're _not_. I spent the most time with Thor when he was last here, and he honestly seemed to care about protecting the people here from the frost giants that invaded." 

"You think we should trust them," Fury says. 

"I think if we make our distrust too obvious we risk ruining any chance of an alliance," Steve says. "They're trying to work with us, when they could easily work around us, and I think we owe them at least that much in return." 

"I agree," Natasha says, causing Clint and Tony to look at her surprise. Fury just nods for her to continue. "We have to keep in mind that whatever measures we're taking to try and keep them under watch will probably both be spotted by them and ineffective on top of it. Neither Thor nor Loki were too concerned by the snipers earlier, but the fact that we placed them there at all doesn't look good for us. So it's sort of lose-lose."

Fury nods. "Okay," he says, clasping his hands on the table. "So this is what we're going to do. I want to get them set up in the Avengers tower, keep an eye on them, but give them as much freedom as possible until they give us reason not to." 

"Sure, why not, let's move them in too," Tony says. "I've already taken in two assassins, a science loving rage-monster time bomb and a 90-year-old that looks better than me. What's two Norse Gods on top of that? Hell, let's just throw caution to the wind and ask Coulson along too. Coulson, you coming?"

Coulson lights up. "Can I be on Steve's floor?" he asks. 

"Right, forgot about that, I take it back, you're not invited because Steve is an innocent and I don't trust you with him," Tony says. 

Coulson goes expressionless. "Fine, but don't call me when everything falls apart," he says. 

"You know that call is going to you," Tony tells him. 

Coulson just stares back, doing his impression of a robot again. Steve clears his throat, looking uncomfortable. "So, sir," Steve says, "What are you planning to do about the Tesseract, after the month is up? Legend has it that it was Odin's originally, so if it is rightfully theirs—" 

Fury looks inscrutable. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it, right now they're on probation," he says. "They're powerful, maybe more powerful than any we've ever encountered, and they're smart. I don't want to give up any advantage yet, no matter how many veiled threats they make about being able to take it whenever they want. Because there has to be a reason that they're not, they have to want something from us too." 

Tony claps his hands. "Great, sounds good," he says. "Is that all, cause I might still be able to catch them before—" 

"That's not all," Fury snaps. "We've discussed the military perspective, now we're onto political. They are, for all intents and purposes, visiting royalty. We screw this up with them and we are going to have a race of very powerful beings on our bad side, and that happens, I'm holding you all responsible for it. So keep them happy, give them whatever they want, within reason, and keep them away from here as much as possible. Understood?" 

"I did not sign up for this," Tony protests. "In fact, I didn't sign up at all. Just how are we supposed to keep them happy?" 

"I suggest you find a way," Fury says. "Dismissed."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Up: A Sort Of Interlude, Loki decides he wants to get to know Steve better, and Thor is not pleased. Fury and Coulson work to try and avoid an intergalactic incident, whilst Tony is just grateful that for once he's not to blame.


	5. Part IV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many many thanks to forcyrinoutloud, who has been a very patient sounding board, an awesome cheerleader, and now an _amazing artist._ She drew a lovely comic page of an upcoming scene, and I have linked it at the bottom since it is maybe a bit spoilery. Brain twin, this is for you!

Loki hears the _thrum thrum thrum_ of that power far before they reach it; it beats in his ears like a second pulse, and he can feel his own heart stutter as it strives to keep pace. Thor is watching him carefully so he keeps his eyes ahead of him, watching Dr. Banner and his shadow instead of meeting his brother's blue gaze. 

Loki enters the lab ahead of Thor, looking over Dr. Banner's shoulder towards that clear cage they have built. The Tesseract pulses inside, clamped inside a metal casing and held a few feet off the ground. It is wholly inadequate, but impressive all the same. 

Loki places the container on the counter and walks to the glass. He places one hand carefully on the surface, and he can feel the power swirling against his palm from the other side. "It seems we have arrived just in time," he says. "This would not have held much longer." 

"We're still trying to find a more suitable way to contain it, but—" Banner breaks off, shrugging. "It would take years, and as you've pointed out, we didn't have the luxury of that much time." 

"The Tesseract is science so complex you would call it magic," Loki says. "We call it magic ourselves, and only magic can contain magic. You could have had those years and you would still not have found a way to stop this." 

Banner frowns, looking like he wants to protest, though he does not. "The last time it was out of this cage, it caused a few complications. Is this process going to be quick?" 

"I will be as quick as possible," Loki says. 

"What do you need me to do, brother?" Thor asks. 

Loki does not take his eyes from the Tesseract as he responds. "Open the container, I will move the Tesseract," he says. 

Banner moves to the control panel on the cage, inputting a code that Loki notes and catalogues in his memory for possible future use, and then the door is creaking open, and that power is leaking out. Loki feels like he's in quicksand, getting dragged under and barely able to move. 

"Loki?" Thor calls in concern. 

Loki pushes through, kneeling down before the Tesseract and unlatching its metal brace. He ignores Banner's sound of protest and pulls the Tesseract into his hand, then his fingers start turning blue—the color travels halfway up his arm before Loki forces the transformation to stop in its tracks. He gets to his feet and slides the Tesseract quickly into the container. 

He is about to let go when he hears the scream, sounding very far away and more like a war cry than a sound of terror. He jerks away, pulling his hand out and slamming the lid shut, but not before he sees it—

A pair of blood-red eyes, watching him. 

Loki gasps as the container latches, the power muting slightly. Thor grabs his arm, and is calling his name. Loki closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and then pulls away. "I am fine," he says. "I need to seal the container with magic, please step back." 

Thor moves away reluctantly. "Are you sure you are alright? You went very pale for a moment," he says, hesitantly. 

Loki glances down and sees the last of the blue on his hands wash away, and figures Thor's hesitation comes from the fact that part of him went pale while other parts of him went blue instead. "It has to be done," he says, glancing at Thor for a moment. He can tell that Thor is not pleased, but for once Loki has told him the truth, and he cannot protest against it. 

Loki turns back to the container, placing a hand on either side. He can feel his father's magic wound around it intricately like thin but powerful threads; Odin has done the hard work, all Loki must do is tie together the ends. He closes his eyes so he can follow the magic easier, he can see the blue threads glowing behind his eyes and coaxes them together until they trap the Tesseract like a net. 

He is nearly done when he sees the eyes again, burning like molten lava and staring straight through him. He swears he hears his own name being called and then he is pushing away from the Tesseract, just as the hum of power disappears. 

Loki's hand goes to his side, a phantom remembrance of that blade of ice sinking into his skin, though strangely he does not feel weakened by the encounter.

If anything he feels even more powerful than before.

* * * * *

Tony slips out of the meeting almost before Fury finishes saying 'dismissed,' and heads off down the hall hoping to catch Loki at work with the Tesseract. Steve chases after him. "Hey, you going to meet up with them?" he asks.

Tony glances back. "Yep," he says. "You coming?" 

"I thought it might be a good idea," he says. "I don't want them thinking everyone's against them, and Thor and I seem to get along. But are you sure you should be going? What if it—you know—"

"Starts sucking the life out of me again?" Tony asks. "Hopefully this thing will protect against that, if not it seems to have a pretty good range." 

Steve frowns, but follows Tony without protesting again. They stop at the glass wall to the lab, and Steve pauses when he catches sight of Loki. The Tesseract is in the containment chamber, and he has his eyes closed and his hands on either side. There are green sparks coming from the palms of his hands, meeting with the blue energy spikes of the Tesseract inside, giving off the effect of bottled lightning. 

His gaze travels up to Loki's face, which looks ethereal as it flashes from green to blue and back again as the lights reflect against his pale skin. His face is smooth and he looks unguarded for the first time Steve has seen, though he has to be concentrating fairly hard. Then Loki pulls away suddenly, jerking his hands away with a flash of green that lights the whole lab. 

Thor moves beside him quickly, and though Steve can't hear him through the soundproof lab it looks like he's asking if he's all right. 

"Hey, hey, earth to Steve," Tony says, and waves a hand in front of his face. "See something you like?" 

Steve glances at Tony in disapproval. "We should make sure everything's okay," he says, without bothering to answer. 

Tony smirks. "Sure," he says, and pushes into the lab, glancing down at his arc reactor as he does. "I'm not blinking out, so I'm guessing it went as planned?" 

"It is sealed," Loki says, looking up. "What do you mean, blinking?" 

"Your little cube liked me," Tony says. "It liked me so much it was draining my power." 

Loki's eyes go straight to the arc reactor, though the light is hidden by two shirts. He steps closer. "May I?" he asks. 

Tony isn't sure what he's requesting, but he's pretty much up for anything anytime, so he shrugs. "Knock yourself out," he says. 

Loki places a hand over the reactor. Tony feels a strange sort of pull, like the tingling sensation you get _after_ an electric shock. Loki pulls his hand away abruptly, a crease in his brow as he steps away. "Strange," he says. 

"How so?" Tony asks. 

"It is not at all similar to the energy of the Tesseract, so I do not know why this would have triggered it," he says. "But it was you that awoke it?" 

"I don't know if I can take all the blame," Tony says. "But basically yeah." 

Loki frowns, but turns back to Bruce. "You should put it back in your barrier, as well. The containment should hold, but as long as you insist on keeping it here it will not hurt to be overly cautious." 

Bruce nods. "I was thinking the same thing," he agrees. "Can I touch it?" 

"Its energy is contained, it will not harm you," Loki assures him, before turning back to Tony and Steve. "So how was your talk about us? Have you decided what to do with us?" 

Tony grins. "Yep," he says. "You're coming home with me." Tony's grin deflates a little at Loki's dubious look. "Don't worry, Mr. Rogers here will be your neighbor." 

Loki's eyes slide to Steve in interest, before Thor comes barreling over to block his view. "Friend Steve," Thor says happily. "It will be good to spend more time with you." 

"And me," Tony says. "I'll be there too. It's kinda my mansion."

Loki smirks, sensing that Tony has a fondness for being the center of attention. It is something that after growing up with golden boy Thor, he is very familiar with personally and fairly certain he will be able to exploit. "And what form of transport are we taking? We are not located near any of your cities," he says. 

"We'll be going by jet," Tony says. "You're gonna love it." 

Loki thinks about it for a moment, and then shakes his head. "No, thank you," he says simply. "We will stay here, with the Tesseract." 

Tony blinks. "Um, that's not really—Steve, you want to help me out here?" 

"This facility isn't really set up for guests," Steve says helpfully. 

"We can take care of our own accommodations," Loki assures them. "My brother and I will stay with the Tesseract. That is not negotiable, I'm afraid." 

"Yes, Loki and I are in agreement on this. We did not agree to be relocated. We will stay here, or the Tesseract will come with us," Thor insists. 

"Okay then," Tony says. "Bruce, buddy, you want to get that magic Rubik's cube all packed up? Looks like we're all going." 

Steve pulls Tony gently aside as Thor and Loki move to help Bruce. "Are you authorized to do that?" he asks quietly. 

Tony shrugs. "I've always thought that 'what he doesn't know doesn't hurt him' is an incredibly useful adage, don't you agree?" he asks. 

"Tony," Steve says in disappointment. 

"You know," Tony says. "You're turning out to be sort of a killjoy. You used to look like such fun in all those old propaganda vids, but maybe that was mostly the dancing girls." 

Steve's big eyes of disappointment stare Tony down, and Tony caves and turns to go. "Fine, I'll go clear it with Fury," he says. "You stay and entertain the royals." 

Steve looks startled at the thought of being left there with the task of watching after Loki and Thor, but Tony turns away with a smirk before he can protest and heads towards Fury's makeshift office. 

He enters without bothering to knock, and Clint is sitting across from Fury. He was probably receiving super secret orders regarding their new guests, but Tony will worry about that later. 

"So, minor change in plans," Tony tells them. 

Fury does not bother to look up. "How minor?" he asks. 

"I kind of told them we would be taking the Tesseract with us," Tony says. 

Fury freezes, his single eye turning into some kind of laser obviously meant to kill Tony where he stands. "You did what?" he asks, his voice all false calm. 

"You said to give them whatever they wanted," Tony points out.

" _Within reason,_ ," Fury snaps. "You had no authorization to—" 

"Look, it was kind of a case of, you will do what I say or I will strike you down with my freaky lightning powers—and I don't even want to guess what the poster boy for Slytherin House might have been planning to do to me." 

"Did you just make a Harry Potter reference?" Clint asks in horror. 

"If you understood it, you cannot mock me for it. That's the rule," Tony tells him, before returning his attention to Fury. "They're not going to budge on this, and we made a deal not to experiment on it anymore anyway. We were planning to keep to that right?" 

"Yes," Fury snaps. 

"Then why does it matter where it's stored?" Tony asks. "I have the facilities in Stark Tower to hold it." 

"Avenger Tower," Clint reminds him. 

"Stark-Avenger Tower," Tony corrects. 

"I don't like that they want it close," Fury says in frustration. "They're up to something." 

"Yeah, they want to take it from us," Tony says. "They made that pretty clear, I don't think it was meant to be a hidden agenda. But they're not taking it from us, they're playing along, like Steve says, so we don't really have any choice but to do the same." 

Fury glares at Stark like this is all his fault. "Fine, I don't see how we can get out of it now, but, Stark, you had better—" 

"I know, I know," Tony says, waving him off. "It'll be completely my fault when this all goes to hell. Nothing new there, right?" 

"Sounds pretty standard," Clint agrees. 

"You'll go ahead as planned without the Tesseract," Fury says, holding up a hand to forestall Tony's protest. "Dr. Banner will remain here and we will take the Tesseract to New York together after we are able to make the proper preparations for transport." 

"I'm not sure how they'll feel about that," Tony says hesitantly. 

"They'll agree," Fury says with confidence. "The Odinsons understand the benefits of compromise."

* * * * *

Loki does end up loving to fly, though he does not deign to tell the mortals as much, still bitter that the Tesseract is being transported by Dr. Banner instead of safely with him.

Still, he will admit to himself that they really are rather clever, what with all the strange devices and all of the conveniences they have created to compensate for their many weaknesses. The aerodynamics of this small jet alone is brilliant in its simplicity—merely exploiting their fluid rich atmosphere for flight. 

The novelty, however, wears off within the first hour and Loki wishes he could have just teleported to their destination. He is as of yet too unfamiliar with this world to risk it, and in any case weaving the wards around the containment for the Tesseract has drained him more than he wants to admit. 

Thor picks up on it anyway, and forces Loki to stay in his seat with the ridiculous mortal protection straps. Loki tolerates his fussing mostly just to avoid making a scene in front of the humans, and uses the opportunity to observe these Avengers further. They all seem to be at ease with each other and all are very quiet—Clint and Natasha are up front in the cockpit, while Tony is quietly and intently working on a small black tablet with a focus bordering on obsessive. Steve, across from him, is idly drawing markings on some sort of parchment. 

Loki watches him in fascination, hitting the release on his seatbelt and starting to rise. Thor reaches out and snatches his wrist, dragging him back down. "Where are you going, brother?" he demands. "The light clearly states that you are to remain with your belt attached." 

Loki pulls away with a glare, and the lights flicker and change so that the seatbelt sign is no longer lit. "Satisfied?" he asks sweetly, before rising again, and moving to sit down beside Steve. 

Steve looks over at him, startled. "Prince Loki," he says uneasily. 

"You need not address me as prince, we are not in Asgard," Loki says, smiling at him. "You are an artist?" 

"No," Steve replies. "I just draw for fun."

"For fun," Loki repeats dubiously. "I see." 

Steve quickly flips the tablet closed, hiding it from view. "I'm not very good," he says. "Is there something I can do for you?" 

"My brother wearies me," Loki says. "I needed to either seek other company or eject him from your aircraft. I thought seeking your company would be the wisest course. Your Doctor Banner will be meeting us there with the Tesseract, and the assassins are too wary of me to make for good conversation. There is always the loud one, but he speaks only of himself." 

"The loud one is sitting right across from you," Tony says. 

"You see?" Loki tells Steve, his point proven. "So you were the obvious choice." 

"I'm not really known for my conversation either," Steve says cautiously. 

"Perhaps you could show me then what you were drawing?" Loki asks. 

"Uh, actually," Steve starts, but realizes suddenly that the tablet is in Loki's hands, though he is not quite sure how it got there. "Wait, don't—" 

Loki has already turned to the last page, and is staring at [the drawing](http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/laytoncolt/984770/29550/original.jpg) in confusion. It is a picture of Thor, though he has been drawn purposely out of proportion—his muscles very large, his hair flying dramatically through the air, hammer raised high. And beside him is a sketch of Loki himself, arms crossed, back to Thor, his features narrow but knowing as he rolls his eyes at his brother's theatrics. 

"I didn't," Steve starts stuttering. "Please, don't take offense, I only meant—" 

Loki bursts out laughing, so loudly that everyone in the jet turns to look at him, including a rather concerned Thor. Steve quickly takes his sketchpad back and closes it, holding it back against him as Tony leans forward in interest to see what could have caused such a reaction. 

Loki leans back against the wall of the jet, after getting his laughter under control, though his eyes are still sparkling as he watches Steve. "You are far more observant than I had given you credit for," he says honestly. 

"I really didn't mean anything by it," Steve says quietly, trying to ignore Tony's interested gaze. 

"If I thought you really intended my brother any harm, I would be honor-bound to act," Loki says. "But I don't think you have a single bad intention in you—it's really the most remarkable thing." 

Natasha leans out from the cockpit. "Hey, guys, something's wrong with the seatbelt light, but everyone really needs to get strapped in. We're about to land." 

Natasha disappears again and Loki sighs. "I suppose that was directed at me," he says. "It was lovely speaking with you, Steve." 

Loki moves back to Thor, and drops down in the seat beside him, ignoring the glare his brother directs at him. "You did something to the lights," Thor snaps. 

"I don't know what you're talking about," Loki tells him. 

Thor's expression softens, going almost sad. "What were you laughing about?" he asks. "I haven't heard you laugh like that in a very long time." 

Loki holds back all the answers that immediately spring to mind. A week ago, he would have said something deliberately intended to hurt Thor as much as possible—but this Thor is not the same arrogant prince that he had been then. He is still arrogant, and still a prince, but that is no longer all that he is. 

"These Midgardians are very clever, is all," Loki says after a moment. "They amuse me, and Steve is very attractive." 

Thor narrows his eyes. "You remember at least that you are not allowed to court any without permission of our parents, I hope?" he asks. 

"A rule that is in a rather grey area, if your many many past encounters are anything to go by," Loki replies. 

"Yes, well, I am not the one for which they are arranging a betrothal," Thor snaps. 

"Only because there are none in Asgard that would have you," Loki says. "In any case, after all that has happened I doubt that is a concern for them at the moment. At least I have a way out of any undesirable match they may choose." 

"How so?" Thor asks, eyes narrowed. 

"I'll simply tell them I am Jotun and watch as they run for the hills," Loki says smugly. "I'm quite confident now that I will end up with whoever I might choose for myself." 

"You have never shown interest in men before," Thor says. 

"I have never shown interest in any before," Loki corrects. "You know, now that I am adjusting to my origins, it really makes a ridiculous amount of sense that I am adopted. I had for years thought it must be the case." 

Thor glares at him. "Loki," he says warningly. 

Loki rolls his eyes. "There is nothing for you to worry about," he promises. "I know what I'm doing." 

"Considering your track record," Thor says wryly, "that's exactly what I'm worried about." 

Loki grins, but doesn't respond as he glances out the window to watch as the quinjet lands directly on top of Stark's Avenger Tower. Loki is relieved to have an end to their conversation. Thor had always been rather strict about what was and was not acceptable behavior for an Asgard Prince, though he applied his warped logic only to Loki and never to himself. 

"Okay," Tony says, grinning widely as the jet doors open outwards. "Welcome to my humble abode! Avengers, you know where to go. Thor and Loki, you'll be on the eighty-eighth floor. Steve, you're right below them, you want to show them were to go since you all get along so well? I've got a date with my wet bar."

Steve frowns but nods, and the others disappear inside the building. "It's this way," Steve says politely, heading towards the roof entrance that the others have already disappeared through. "I noticed that you don't have any luggage, please just let us know if you need us to get anything for you." 

"We do not require anything," Loki says, "but thank you for your offer." 

"Actually, I would not mind some of that wonderful delicacy, the PopTart," Thor says hopefully. 

Steve laughs, glancing back at them. "You've got it," he says. 

Steve leads them down the stairs and to the elevator. Loki watches him closely as he hits the button marked 'eighty-eight,' and then follows his arm up to his face. Humans are, Loki is finding, rather complex, but all of them from this particular group seem to have a single focus or drive for doing what they do. Steve is a bit of an exception—some strange dichotomy between pacifist and warrior. 

Loki knows better than anyone, however, the different forms that strength can take—and he doubts that Steve's physical strength, as powerful as it seems to be, is what defines him. 

Loki finally pulls his eyes away from Steve to find Thor watching him warily. He frowns at him, but says nothing as the elevator doors open on their new chambers. 

"Okay, there's two bedrooms," Steve says, pointing in opposite directions. "You can pick which one you would each like. You have your own kitchen, over here, it's not that well stocked but you can ask Jarvis for anything." 

"Jarvis?" Loki inquires. 

"Yeah," Steve says, scrunching his face in a frown, before muttering to himself. "How do you do that again—" 

"You merely need to ask me for what you require, Captain Rogers," Jarvis interrupts kindly. 

Steve looks up at the ceiling. "Oh! Yes. Hi, Jarvis." 

"Hello, Captain Rogers and guests," Jarvis says, obviously hinting for an introduction. 

"Oh! This is Thor and Loki," Steve says. 

"Mister Thor, Mister Loki," Jarvis says. 

Thor searches the room with narrowed eyes looking for the source of the voice, while Loki glances at the control panel beside the door, noticing the name 'Jarvis' inscribed beneath it. "What are you, Jarvis?" Loki asks. 

"I am Just A Really Very Intelligent System," Jarvis says, sounding slightly put out. 

Loki laughs, running his hand across the panel. He glances up to find Steve watching him. "You must not tell Starkson I was impressed," Loki says wryly. "I doubt very much he needs the encouragement." 

Steve gives a slight grin. "Your secret's safe with me," he promises. 

"You mean to say this Jarvis is not a being?" Thor asks in confusion. 

"I most certainly am," Jarvis intercedes. 

"Oh, my apologies, Sir Jarvis," Thor says, looking more confused than ever. 

"I'll leave you both to get settled in then," Steve says, feeling unequipped to explain Jarvis further having had a rather similar conversation with him his first time here—one that had, of course, sent Tony into fits of laughter. "I'll see what we can do about those PopTarts." 

"Thank you, friend Steve!" Thor says, before heading off to inspect the bedrooms. 

"Stark said that you were on the floor below us?" Loki asks curiously, before Steve can leave. 

Steve nods. "Yes, he assigned a floor to each of us," he says. "I guess…I mean, I guess I live here now. We kinda all moved in after Thor left to go back to Asgard." 

Loki takes careful note of his uncertainty, but nods. "Perhaps I might come visit?" he asks. "We are supposed to be getting to know each other." 

"Sure," Steve says, as he stands awkwardly at the door, "I'll just be, you know, there." 

Loki watches his rushed exit with amusement, before turning around and nearly running straight into Thor. Thor crosses his arms. "We are here for a mission only, I hope you remember that," he says. 

"I have not forgotten," Loki says. "I have gotten us this far, have I not?" 

"Yes, stuck here for a month while a war is starting," Thor snaps. 

"The Jotuns cannot move on Asgard, it would take them centuries before they could even devise some way to reach them," Loki says, which Thor knows full well. Immortal wars were nothing like mortal ones—a single move could span a century. "If they make a move before that time it will be here, through the Tesseract. So this is exactly where we need to be." 

"I thought you would talk them into giving it to us right away," Thor says, frowning. 

Loki rolls his eyes. "That is not what we want. Let them feel secure with it in their keeping for now and they will be more amenable to forming an alliance with us," he says. "If we took it from them straight away they would be far more wary." 

"This is what you wanted," Thor says, in realization. 

"Essentially," Loki acknowledges. "These humans are suspicious creatures, they are not the same ones that would worship us. We have to play by their rules." 

"Their rules are a lot like yours," Thor says with a frown. 

Loki laughs. "Yes, so it should be fun, if nothing else," he says. 

Loki moves over to the window, pulling open the curtains with a mischievous grin. He crosses his arms as he runs his eyes over the landscape, which really is sort of beautiful in its own way, 

"But do not think for a second that I do not remember what is at stake," Loki adds, turning once more to face him. "I know very well what depends on this." 

"Why? What do you think is going to happen if we fail in this alliance?" Thor asks. "This mission does not rest solely on you, if we are to fail we try again. It will not change who you are." 

Loki laughs. "Perhaps," he says. "Though I'm rather hoping that success _will_." 

"It doesn't matter what happens, or what you do, you will _always_ be my brother," Thor says, forcing Loki to face him. "Do you understand?" 

"Thor, you can't promise that—" Loki starts. 

"I can, I just did," Thor says. "And you know me, I always keep my promises." 

Loki frowns as he realizes the truth of that. Thor was not a good liar, and he always kept his word. He doesn't always say the right thing, but he always means what he says. 

He remembers then those red eyes staring back at him, like they could _see_ him—looking inside of him just as much as Loki was looking into them. He cannot tell Thor what is happening, because he does not understand it himself, but he owes Thor some kind of explanation. "I think this war may have already begun," he admits hesitantly. "What if while we sit here waiting for their first move, they're already three steps ahead?" he asks. 

"Brother, they do not have our power, there is nothing to fear I promise you—" Thor begins in concern. 

"Nevermind," Loki interrupts, regretting saying even that much. "Do not listen to me, I am sure I am worrying over nothing. The Tesseract is contained, they cannot get past the All-Father's magic." 

Thor looks ready to protest again, but his attention is caught by a knock on the door. "Enter!" he shouts. A Midgardian servant enters the room, pushing a small silver cart. 

She smiles politely. "Your order, sir," she says, lifting a silvered lid off a platter to reveal a number of those beautifully decorated rectangular pastries. "Please let us know if you need anything else." 

She disappears out the doors once more, and Thor grabs up two PopTarts in each hand. "Brother, you must try one," he says, as he rips into them. 

Loki watches him with long-suffering. "I think not," he says. "I want to assess this building, we need to know our surroundings."

Thor frowns. "We should go together," he says. 

"Enjoy your pastries, brother," Loki says, as he slips out the doors. "I do not need an escort." 

Loki moves to the elevator, examining the buttons as the doors close behind him on their own. The top three floors require an access code, which will definitely merit further investigation. However, Loki plans on another investigation at the moment, and hits the button for floor eighty-seven. 

The elevator opens up to a suite that is eerily similar to the one he has just left. Loki steps out into the hall, glancing into the living area. There does not seem to be any personal effects in the room, though he does notice a large round shield lying on the counter. 

Loki pauses when he hears a distant grunting, and moves down the hall to the left. He walks into an open room, largely grey with a square in the center that is roped off. Steve is off to the side, punching at a large bag that is hanging suspended from the ceiling. 

"This is a strange sort of ritual," Loki says to him, as he approaches. 

Steve pauses, looking up in surprise. "Loki," he greets. "It's not a ritual. Well, not exactly. I'm training." 

"Training?" Loki queries. 

"I'm getting battle-ready," Steve explains, stepping back from the punching bag to adjust the wraps on his hands. 

"It can hardly be a satisfying battle, when the creature does not fight back," Loki says in amusement. 

"I can't fight with anyone else," Steve replies after a moment. "I don't want to hurt them." 

Loki grins, circling around Steve like a wolf closing in on its prey. "You cannot hurt me," he promises. 

Steve glances up at him in surprise. "Are you suggesting—?" 

"That you spar with me, yes," Loki says, and his business suit disappears to be replaced with a white t-shirt and grey sweatpants that mirror Steve's. "I promise, I can handle it."

"I don't think that it would be appropriate," Steve says uneasily. 

"I have found that always doing the appropriate thing can make life quite boring," Loki says. "I spar against _Thor_ , I think I'll be fine against you." 

"Yes, but Thor wouldn't—I mean, it's obvious he would never let you get hurt," Steve says at once. 

"Neither, I think, would you," Loki says, turning to examine the boxed off square in the center of the room. "I am not a sore loser, if that is your concern, Steve. I'm very graceful whether or not I win." 

He approaches it, lithely bending underneath the ropes to enter the center. "I assume that is the purpose of this?" Loki asks. 

Steve reluctantly joins him in the ring. "Yes," he agrees. "But, Loki—" 

Loki does not give Steve a chance to finish, he grabs his wrist, twisting his arm around him and driving him to his knees. He leans down to whisper in his ear. "You'll have to forgive me if I've broken any of your rules of combat," Loki says. "I am unfamiliar with your world." 

Steve laughs, feeling the exhilaration of a good fight already building within him. He has not been at the slightest disadvantage in a fight since he had received the serum, but Loki was _strong_. He was easily stronger than Steve, so Loki's claim of him not being able to hurt him was most likely true. 

Steve spins around, twisting so his arm was straight out again and then using Loki's grip on his wrist to pull him off balance. Loki falls down on top of Steve, and lets out a laugh. "I am not familiar with that move," Loki says. 

"It…ah…didn't go exactly as planned," Steve says. "It was meant to end up a little differently." 

"Oh?" Loki asks. "And how were we supposed to end up?" 

Steve grins, bucking beneath Loki to flip them over in one smooth motion. He reaches out to capture Loki's wrists, pinning them on the mat beside his head. "I'm not sure how much this is going to help me in battle," Steve says wryly. 

"Well, that really depends on what sort of battle it is, don't you think?" Loki asks slyly, making no move to escape from Steve's hold, though they were both well aware that he could. 

"Brother!" Thor shouts, charging into the room, looking furious. "What is the meaning of this?" 

Steve scrambles off Loki at once, getting to his feet to stare sheepishly over at Thor. Loki seems unimpressed by his brother's anger, and he merely turns his head to glance over at him, staying prone where he lay. "Thor," he greets, finally pushing himself up on his elbows. "We were just training." 

Thor stomps over to him, roughly grabbing Loki by the arm to pull him to his feet and then over the ropes. "We're going back to our room," Thor snaps, before turning a narrow-eyed glance on Steve. "Steve." 

"Thor, would you just wait for a moment—" Loki protests. 

Thor glares at his clothing. "What are you wearing?" he demands. 

"Loki?" Steve calls hesitantly. 

"It's fine," Loki says, tossing a roll of his eyes and a wave in Steve's direction as Thor gives Loki a shove into the elevator. 

"What are you doing?" Thor demands. "You are not yet fully recovered," 

"I am recovered enough," Loki says, as Thor hits the button for their floor. "How did you find me?" 

"I asked the voice that lives in the walls," Thor says. "Sir Jarvis." 

"It was my pleasure to assist," Jarvis says smugly. 

Loki narrows his eyes at the computer console. "I'm sure it was," he snaps. 

Thor ushers Loki out onto their floor and then towards the room he had selected. "Please, Loki, just stay close," Thor pleads. "We need to gain the trust of the mortals and then return to Asgard with the Tesseract as quickly as possible." 

"Of course, Thor," Loki sighs, before heading off to the bedroom. He collapses on the bed, his wrists still tingling from where Steve had gripped them. 

Loki does agree that they need to complete their task, and as quickly as possible—but Loki, unlike Thor, is more than happy to multitask. 

And there is much on this world he has yet to see.

* * * * *

Loki comes awake with a gasp, and the room tinges red for a moment before a blink clears his vision again. He pushes himself to the edge of the bed, resting his head in his hands. His dreams of late—since the Tesseract and the Casket again came awake, have been extremely disorienting.

Mostly because they do not feel like dreams at all. 

Loki stands and carefully slips out of the room. He can hear Thor's oblivious snores emanating from the other room. Loki knows he will not be able to sleep now, so he decides to explore the top three floors of the Avenger's tower, out of his brother's watchful eyes. Loki has always had a fondness for places he is not supposed to go. 

Loki presses the button for the penthouse, twisting the mechanism with his magic to trick it into thinking that it has the code. The elevator beeps and begins to move upwards. 

"Sir, if I may?" Jarvis inquires gently. "I did not realize you had received access to the top floors." 

"Well, it seems as though I have," Loki answers. 

"Yes, it certainly seems that way," Jarvis agrees suspiciously. "However, if I might—" 

"I'll let you know if I need anything," Loki interrupts politely. "I mean, that is what you are here for, is it not? You were certainly rather obliging earlier to my brother." 

"Yes, sir," Jarvis replies dryly. 

Loki exits onto the top floor curiously. The first thing he sees is a bar to the right, with a number of different bottles on display on the shelves behind it. Then he hears a constant low buzzing sound, and turns left instead. There is a long hallway that opens up into a lab. Loki changes his clothing again into the suit he had been wearing earlier, and walks inside. 

Tony Stark is leaning over a computer console while a mechanical arm is welding together a tear in his suit of iron. "This is a marvelous set up," Loki says wryly. 

Tony's head jerks up. "Loki," he says in surprise. "How unexpected to see you here. In my incredibly top secret and secure lab." 

" _God_ ," Loki reminds him. 

"He did appear to have the codes, sir," Jarvis adds helpfully. 

"I'm sure," Tony says, sitting back in his chair. "How can I help you?" 

"I was curious as to why you would need three whole floors to yourself," Loki says. "What do you keep on the others?" 

"My harem," Tony says. 

Loki grins. "You know, that might perhaps be more amusing if it were less believable," he says. 

Tony smirks. "I don't know if I should be flattered or insulted," he says. 

"And here I thought you were intelligent," Loki says, idly moving to one of Tony's computers and scrolling quickly through the information he had left up. 

"Woah, hey there, no touching," Tony calls, dropping his work to rush over to Loki. He pauses with a frown when he realizes that rather than randomly pressing the shiny buttons, Loki is bringing up information and scrolling through it faster than even Tony can follow. "You understand how to use a computer?" 

"You sound surprised," Loki says, eyes scanning through Tony's equations, before he smirks as he realizes what they are meant to be.

"Thor can't work a microwave," Tony tells him. 

"Yes, well, that's _not_ a surprise," Loki says. "I am not my brother, Mister Stark." 

"Yeah, I'm getting that," Tony says. 

"And your equation here is missing a few key elements," Loki continues. "Would you like me to correct it?" 

"If you think you can, then be my guest," Tony says, watching him with interest. 

Loki drops into the chair, making a quick set of corrections before running a simulation. The computer beeps and Jarvis' dry voice announces, "The simulation has been a success, sir." 

"You realize, of course," Tony says, "that you've just given me the key to stopping you? Why would you do that?" 

"I have merely corrected your equation," Loki says. "The theory is sound, and it will work as it should, but it will not work as you intended if your intent was to use it on me."

Tony sighs. "Of course not," he says. "So if my equation isn't going to stop your magic, what is it going to do?" 

"It will create a stable electrostatic barrier," Loki says, sounding rather bored with the whole thing. 

"You just gave me the blueprints to a force field?" Tony asks in awe, rolling Loki's chair away to take his place at the computer. 

"A stable electrostatic barrier," Loki corrects, gracefully rising back to his feet. "And to be fair, you did most of the work, if unintentionally." 

"Yeah, yeah, but it's a _force field_ ," Tony says, eyes gleaming as he taps through the results of Loki's simulation. "Do you have any idea what this _means_?" 

"I'm rather more interested in why you were attempting to contain or disable my magic in the first place," Loki says, "if somewhat reassured by how inept you are at the task."

"It's nothing personal," Tony tells him, prying his eyes away from the screen. He leans back against the counter. "It's sort of like initiation. We're dangerous people. First thing SHIELD did when Bruce showed up was build him a Hulk-proof cage. Scientists are still working on a way to recreate the super-serum used on Steve, and they're working on the antidote too. We haven't found a way to stop Natasha or Clint, their bad-assery is kinda built in, but worst comes to worst and I suppose a bullet will do the trick. We've even been working to understand Mjolnir, because Thor can't do nearly as much damage without it." 

"And how does one stop you, Mister Stark?" Loki asks, stepping closer to him. 

"That one's easy. Just rip out my heart," Tony tells him, tossing him a wide grin—it is the same grin he uses on the paparazzi and on Fury, but he has a sinking feeling that Loki can see straight through it. 

Loki smirks, his eyes assessing the arc reactor. "And you think you can stop me as easily as the others?" Loki asks. "As easily as you could stop yourself?" 

"We've all got an Achilles' heel," Tony says. "Just have to find it." 

"I'm afraid that you're mixing up your Gods," Loki says wryly. 

Tony shrugs. "My point stands," he says. "I'm a scientist, I see something new, I want to know how it works. If you want to volunteer to—" 

"I think not," Loki interrupts. "I am here, as we decided, to provide what information I can. Not to be your guinea pig." 

"Guinea pig," Tony repeats. "See, that right there, how do you know the lingo? Thor looks and acts like he walked out of one of Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventures, but you seem to already know all about us." 

"I am a shape-shifter," Loki says, and suddenly he is wearing a t-shirt and jeans, and _Reeboks_ , leaning against the counter like he belongs. "Appearance is only half the trick, I wouldn't be very good at blending in if I didn't make an effort to understand the culture I'm in." 

"Meaning, you've read up on us," Tony says. 

"Extensively," Loki agrees. "I already set up a Facebook account." 

"Please tell me you're kidding," Tony says. 

Loki grins and pushes away, his casual clothes fading back to the slick grey suit he seems to prefer. "I am the God of Lies, mortal, I do not tell when I am _kidding_." 

"How did we go from 'Mister Stark' back to 'mortal'?" Tony asks resignedly. 

"You asked a stupid question," Loki tells him. 

"Is everything okay in here?" Steve asks, as he stops to lean in the doorway of the lab. 

"How did you get in here?" Tony asks, turning to him in disbelief. "Do I even have any security anymore?" 

"Jarvis let me in," Steve says. "He thought you might need me." 

Tony crosses his arms. "Jarvis?" 

"It was my sincerest belief that you should not be left unsupervised with the God of Mischief," Jarvis says, entirely unapologetic. "As Captain Rogers is the most level-headed of the Avengers and the only one Mister Loki seems inclined to listen to, he seemed the wisest choice." 

"Jarvis, for the last time, I don't require a babysitter," Tony says. 

"Well, I will depart, if it will reassure the noble Jarvis," Loki says. "I have seen all there is to see here, I think, in any case." 

"You haven't seen the half of it!" Tony protests, outraged. "I've got all kinds of things going on here—Dummy, hey, stop that, Dummy, no—" 

"So, Captain," Loki says, as he slips past him out the door, ignoring Tony's ranting to his one armed machine. "Care to accompany me?" 

Steve follows him with a laugh. "You know, there's not too many people that can fluster him," he says, as they enter the elevator. 

Loki watches him for a moment carefully, assessing him up in one glance. "He was not so very flustered," Loki says. 

"Trust me, that's as flustered as Tony gets," Steve says. 

Loki grins. "And you approve," he says. 

Steve flushes, and drags his eyes away. "No, it's not—" he pauses. "It's just nice to see someone that can keep up with him for once." 

"I could more than keep up with him, but I have no interest in the task," Loki says. "He does not interest me." 

"Really?" Steve asks. People tended to either love or hate Tony, but all of them were interested. 

"Truly," Loki agrees, stepping closer. "I assure you, my interests lay elsewhere." 

"Oh, um—" Steve stutters, stepping back as Loki leans against the wall beside him. 

"It is not that late yet on your world, is it?" Loki asks. 

"It's past midnight," Steve says. 

"Surely there are places still open then," Loki says. "I would like to see your world. Will you not show it to me? Perhaps we might visit a tavern or two." 

"I'm really not—I mean, I don't get out much, or at least I haven't, well, for quite a few years," Steve says. 

Loki shrugs, obviously unimpressed by this insignificant span of time. "Well, we can discover it together," he says. "We are supposed to be establishing good relations between our realms, are we not?" 

Steve grins. "And your answer to that is to go bar hopping?" he asks. 

"It is what anyone else from Asgard would do," Loki says. 

"You don't seem like the type to do the usual thing," Steve says.

"Exactly so," Loki grins. "Which makes me doing the usual thing a rather unusual occurrence." 

"I suppose it couldn't hurt," Steve says uncertainly. "I mean, in the name of good relations." 

"My thinking exactly," Loki agrees.

* * * * *

Thor is drawn awake by some kind of sixth sense—a worry that his brother is no longer where he is supposed to be. He searches their assigned room, but while Loki's bed looks somewhat slept in he is no longer in it. "Sir Jarvis," Thor says commandingly, "where is my brother?"

"He is no longer in Avenger Tower," Jarvis answers obligingly. 

Thor freezes. "He has left the Tower?" he demands. 

"Correct," Jarvis says. 

"Where are the others?" Thor roars. "Have them brought to me at once!" 

"As you wish, Mister Thor," Jarvis says. 

Thor paces the room agitatedly until the elevator eventually opens and Tony steps out. He looks distracted, and glances around the room with suspicion. "Thor," he greets. "Jarvis said there was some kind of problem?" 

"My brother is missing!" Thor snaps. "He is no longer in the Tower." 

"He's missing?" Natasha asks, as she and Clint slip out of the elevator beside Tony. 

"He was just with me in the lab," Tony says. "Jarvis, when did Thor leave?" 

"Captain Rogers and Mister Loki left the Tower together thirty six minutes ago," Jarvis informs them. "I believe they were going on a date." 

Thor's eyes narrow. "What is that? What is this thing, this 'date'?" he asks. 

Tony opens his mouth and Clint quickly reaches over to clamp his hand over it, while Natasha steps in front of them. "I'm sure they just went out for a late dinner," she reassures him. "I don't think there's any cause for concern." 

"You will find my brother," Thor demands. "And you will find him now." 

"Coulson," Tony says, after removing Clint's hand. "We need to call Coulson. I'm pretty sure he's had locator chips sewn into all of Steve's clothes."

"Good," Thor says. "Call the Son of Coul, and hope that no harm befalls my brother while in the company of your comrade. You do not want to make an enemy of Asgard." 

Thor stomps off angrily, continuing his pacing. Tony turns to Natasha and Clint. "I did not see this coming, did you see this coming?" he asks. 

"Someone running off with one of the very attractive princes for a tryst?" Natasha asks, as Clint pulls out his phone to call Coulson. "Sure, I saw that coming. I just thought it would be you."

* * * * *

"This is not like any tavern we have on Asgard," Loki says, eyeing the vinyl cushion in suspicion.

"This is a nice little diner with great coffee, and it's open twenty-four hours. You ask me to take you out past midnight, I'm afraid this is the best I can do," Steve replies wryly. "I'm not much for the city night life." 

Loki grins, leaning across the table. "That's a shame," he says. "I say we go exploring. I find you mortals fascinating." 

"We're glad we entertain you," Steve says dryly. 

"What can I get for you, doll? The usual, perhaps? Coffee, black?" 

Loki looks up at the voice, and there is an older woman standing beside their table wearing an apron. She watches Steve with fondness, a reaction Loki has yet to have ever inspired in his own servants. 

"That would be great, Cindy," Steve says, before turning to Loki. "What would you like?" 

"I'll have the same," Loki says, glancing only briefly at Cindy as she nods and sets off. "So you come here a lot?" 

Steve shrugs. "I don't sleep much," he says. 

"So you venture out to ingest stimulants?" Loki asks, his eyes laughing. "I'm not sure how that is supposed to help." 

Steve laughs lightly. "You're assuming I _want_ to sleep," he says. "If my intent is to stay awake then this makes a lot more sense." 

"This is true," Loki agrees wryly. "Are your dreams haunted, Captain?" 

"How did you know?" Steve asks. 

"There are only two reasons to avoid sleep so regularly, either you are like the enterprising Mister Stark, occupied at all times by tasks and problems and ideas—or you are like us, avoiding closing our eyes because we do not like what we find there," Loki says. "Though I suspect this may also be true of Stark, but then I doubt he would serve as a good example for any sort of standard." 

Steve laughs, relaxing back into his seat. "Can I ask you something?" he asks. 

"Of course, you may ask whatever you like," Loki says, though Steve notices he makes no promise to provide an answer. 

"Why me?" Steve asks. 

"I am going to need you to elaborate," Loki answers. "I'm not sure what you mean to ask." 

"I'm not as smart as Tony or Bruce, I'm not as good at handling these kind of political encounters as Natasha, or as experienced as Clint. Why, out of all of us, would you want to spend time with me?" Steve asks. 

"You say only what you are not," Loki answers. "I am far more interested in what you _are_." 

"And what am I?" Steve asks. 

"Well, if you don't know, I can't tell you," Loki laughs, barely noticing as the waitress drops off their coffees. "It is something you have to learn for yourself. I've learned much about what I am recently myself, though I'm sure your revelations will be far less startling." 

Steve sighs at Loki's evasions. "It's just, if you think I can help you, or tell you anything, I really don't have any information. I'm supposed to lead the Avengers, but they don't tell me anything," he says. 

"You think I mean to seduce you for information?" Loki asks slyly. "Not that it wouldn't be fun, mind you, but I can assure you I have all the information I require." 

"You do seem very well informed," Steve agrees. "So I'm no closer to knowing why you wanted to go out with me." 

"You have to realize how attractive you are," Loki says off-handedly, resting one arm across the booth as he leaned against it. 

"All of the Avengers are attractive, and I think you don't find much value in that alone," Steve points out. 

Loki laughs. "True," he says. "Everyone is beautiful on Asgard and most of them don't interest me in the least. They are all flawless, and all they care about are their own vain purposes, for which they worship my brother. I do not begrudge him his adoring masses, but I must admit it was nice to be noticed. And for some reason you did notice me, despite that I was standing beside perfect, golden Thor." 

"He's not perfect," Steve tells him gently. "And I can promise I am not the only one that noticed you." 

"Perhaps, but he has the sort of failings that often go overlooked in the face of all his goodness, while my failings tend to rather overshadow any good I might try and do," Loki says wryly. "We are opposites, my brother and I, in a constant state of eclipse." 

"He seems to really care for you," Steve pointed out.

"That is the worst part," Loki says. "I cannot even properly hate him, because he has no idea what he's done." 

"Excuse me." A young woman stopped at their booth, her friend clinging to her arm. "But aren't you Captain America?" 

Steve bites back a sigh and smiles. "Yes," he says. 

"I told you," the woman hisses to her friend, before turning back to Steve with a smile. "Could I have your autograph?" 

"Uh, sure," Steve says, glancing quickly at Loki to gauge his reaction. The woman passes him a copy of the New York Globe with an old picture of Steve on the cover, tossing his shield at a group of Nazi soldiers. 

Loki smirks as Steve sighs the paper and hands it back. The woman giggles out a thank you and then drags her friend off. "You seem rather popular," Loki says in amusement. 

"Oh, yeah, it's just—" Steve breaks off with a blush. "I'm still getting used to it." 

"Well, let us hope you never do," Loki says. "Or you might end up like Thor." 

Steve laughs. "I don't think this will ever be normal for me," he says quietly. "I used to be…different." 

Loki watches Steve with bemusement. "Different?" he queries. 

Steve takes out his wallet, and hesitantly passes over a picture of himself pre-serum. Loki takes it from him and studies it for a moment, recognizing Steve in the small, slim figure looking back at him from the photo. 

"You carry this with you?" Loki asks in confusion. 

Steve nods. "As a reminder of how weak I was," he says. "So I never take my strength for granted." 

"Do not make the same mistake as all the others, and look for strength in the wrong place," Loki says, as he hands the photo back. "Whatever your form, your eyes give you away. You have never been weak." 

Steve replaces the photo, trying to hide that he is far more touched by Loki's words than he would like to admit. There is no one left that knew him as he was, and so everyone now judges him solely as he is. He often wonders if any of them would have had anything to do with him back then. 

And then here is Loki, a prince, a self-professed _god_ , and he is not only interested by Steve as he is but also as he _was_. 

"Your many changes," Loki begins curiously. "Might that have anything to do with you looking as good as you do for a mortal in their nineties?" 

Steve is taken off guard. He looks up to meet Loki's very green eyes. "The picture," Loki explains. "It was dated 1942." 

"You don't miss much, do you?" Steve asks wryly.

"I don't miss anything," Loki agrees. "Which is why I must tell you with regret that our lovely evening is about to come to an end."

The bell over the doors chimes and then Steve hears the sound of stomping boots. Thor appears beside him in full Asgard armor, with Tony and Coulson right behind him. Steve turns to the window and sees Clint and Natasha stalking around the diner doors, looking for threats. 

"Uh, hi, guys?" Steve says. 

"Brother," Thor says loudly, drawing whatever eyes might have missed their rather spectacular entrance. "You must not go off alone, I have been extremely concerned." 

"Concerned, verging on homicidal," Tony mutters.

"I was not alone, as you can see," Loki says. 

"Is something wrong?" Steve asks. "How did you even find us?"

"We found you because Coulson added 'threat assessment and protection detail for Captain America' to his job description so he could be paid to stalk you," Tony tells him. 

"It is an assignment I was given," Phil replies dryly. "And I take my assignments very seriously, so I did very thorough research and just happened to recall that Captain Rogers has lunch here every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and orders a grilled cheese and a Coke." 

"Behold our tax dollars at work, people," Tony says. 

Thor shoots Tony a scathing glance, before returning his focus on Loki. "We will go back to our assigned chambers now." Thor glares for a moment at Steve. "I will see you all in the morning, I think we will have much to discuss. Now, Loki." 

Loki heaves a sigh and grabs Thor's wrist, before looking back at Steve. "Thank you for your company, Captain," he says. 

"Shouldn't we all go together?" Tony asks in confusion, right as Thor and Loki disappear into thin air. "Okay, that was cool." 

"Let's go," Coulson snaps, not looking at Steve. "Fury and Dr. Banner just arrived at Avenger Tower. I think Commander Fury will be wanting an explanation."

"Sounds like fun," Tony says. "But how about I just let you all go on without me and I can—" 

Natasha appears out of nowhere, giving him a shove towards the doors. "I don't think so," she says. "You can come for moral support." 

"It's like you don't know me at all," Tony tells her, as he lets her shove him along.

* * * * *

Loki teleports himself and Thor back into the living space of their chambers at Avenger Tower. He moves to step away and Thor grabs his arm, turning him to face him. "Loki," he chides. "I thought I told you to stay close."

"You did, yes, and I chose to ignore you," Loki snaps. "You're the one that can't be trusted not to wander off into traffic, I don't know why I'm the one Odin feels should be watched." 

"The road was clearly marked, roads are meant to be walked!" Thor replies. "And father did not tell me to watch you." 

"You are a terrible liar, Thor," Loki says. 

"Okay, he did," Thor admits. "But I would have done it on my own regardless." 

"Is this meant to make me feel better or worse?" Loki asks wryly.

Thor heaves a sigh. "We are only concerned about you," he says. "If you would tell me what disturbs your sleep, perhaps I could help you." 

Loki pulls his arm from Thor's grip, caught off guard. He had not realized that Odin, nevermind Thor, suspected his dreams were being haunted by some kind of power and vision. Though they obviously do not, Loki reassures himself, know what it means. 

Loki is not quite sure yet whether he understands it himself. 

"I do not need you to protect me," Loki says. "Not from the people of this world nor from the shades that disturb my sleep." 

"You cannot expect me not to want to protect you," Thor says. "Because I _will_ protect you, Loki, even from yourself." 

"We are family, we are allowed to protect each other," Loki tells him softly. "What we are not allowed to do is barge in disturbing them when they are perfectly safe." 

"You were alone in a foreign realm after just having been injured," Thor says. "I was justified in my concern. If you must spend time with one of the Avengers, can you not at least spend it with one of the warriors so I can be better assured of your safety?" 

"I was with Steve," Loki says in disbelief. 

"Yes, I know, and I—" Thor starts. 

"Thor, Steve is their leader, he is the leader of the warriors," Loki interrupts in irritation. 

"Yes, and I am sure he is very clever, but he is not a proper warrior, Loki," Thor tries to explain. "He carries a shield, but no weapon." 

Loki laughs, and turns to head to his room. "Brother, you continue to miss the obvious," he says. 

Thor frowns at him. "Meaning?" he asks. 

"The shield _is_ his weapon," Loki says, and then slams the door in his face.

* * * * *

"Let me get this straight," Fury says with deadly calm. "We nearly had an intergalactic incident on our hands because one of the Avengers ran off on a date with an alien Prince, and it _wasn't Stark_?"

"No, sir," Coulson agrees, looking heartbroken. "It was Captain Rogers, sir." 

"Are you sure it wasn't Stark?" Fury asks hopefully. 

"I'm right here," Tony says, looking around at the other Avengers. "No one is going to defend me? Seriously? I'm right here!" 

"We were all very shocked, sir," Coulson tells Fury, ignoring Tony. 

"I don't see that we've done anything wrong," Steve puts in. "Loki just asked me to show him our world." 

"And you took him to a greasy all night diner?" Tony asks, aghast. "Oh, Steven, has no one shown _you_ the world?" 

Fury glares at Tony, like he's going to pretend this is Tony's fault anyway just to make himself feel better. "Stark, now is not the time," he snaps, before looking back to Steve. "As for you, you're not familiar with the way we do things here so I'm going to let it go this time. But romantic entanglements with visiting dignitaries or royalty? That's not allowed, not ever, do we understand each other?" 

Steve frowns, looking crestfallen. "It was only coffee, sir," he says. 

Fury looks over at Coulson. "Where are they?" he asks. 

"They teleported from the diner," Coulson explains. "They said they were going to return here." 

"Jarvis?" Tony asks. 

"They are on their assigned floor," Jarvis says. "Mister Loki has just locked himself in his bedroom after a rather spirited discussion with Mister Thor." 

"Yeah, that's Jarvis speak for fighting," Tony translates. "I don't think Thor approves of our Steve." 

"That's ridiculous," Coulson snaps. "Anyone would be lucky to have him." 

"That's not helping, Agent," Fury snaps. "I've spent the last three hours on a cargo plane with a deadly little blue cube and a Doctor that could have torn us all apart if he got a little tetchy. I am not dealing with this now." 

Fury stands up from the couch and marches off towards the door. "I trust you can all at least hold it together until the morning?" 

"Of course, sir," Phil calls after him. 

"Ever the optimist," Tony says. 

After Fury leaves the Tower, the elevator opens up and Bruce drags himself out, looking exhausted. "Well, I've got the Tesseract secured in the lab," Bruce says, as he flops down on the couch. 

"How did you get in my lab?" Tony asks. 

"Oh, Jarvis let me in," Bruce says. "He was very obliging, and quite the conversationalist." 

"I'm flattered, sir," Jarvis replies. 

"I have got to invest in better security," Tony says to himself. 

Bruce glances around at the Avengers, Clint and Natasha are standing warily together, Coulson is standing with his arms crossed, his expression—well, the same as always. And Tony is looking undecided between going on a high or crashing hard. 

"So…" Bruce says awkwardly, to the silence. "Did I miss anything exciting?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Click [here](http://archiveofourown.org/works/454139) to see the lovely fanart comic by forcryinoutloud! 
> 
> Next Up: The Avengers, it seems, _can't_ hold it together until morning. The prophecies of the Norns are told and retold, and Loki follows their voices through a door best left closed—Steve in turn follows after Loki, ensuring their fates will remain forever entwined.


	6. Part V

Loki does not have the power of prophecy—that is a gift more rare than even the magic he possesses, a double-edged sword of a talent. Frigga had told him once that there is nothing that can make you more powerless than knowing all that will happen, and knowing also that you can do nothing to change it. 

Frigga is the only Aesir with vision, second only to the Norns, who are not Aesir exactly in any case, but are something far more ancient. Unlike Frigga, they have no moral qualms about speaking what they have seen, whatever consequences that it may bring. The Norns feel it is their duty to tell what they know, and are present at the birth of every child in the higher realms, though they leave the mortals alone. 

_Too fleeting,_ they have been known to say, _by the time we speak their fate it will have already come to pass._

They would come to present the new immortal child with its destiny—whispered across their tiny little souls like promises they have no choice but to keep. They came for Loki once, walking out into Jotunheim through a mist that forms their shapes, color bleeding out across their skin to make them look Aesir. Uror is the guardian of fate, and she forms wrinkled and white, though she is elegant nonetheless, full of beautiful wisdom. A white dress swirls around her the same color as her hair, the same color as the ice she walks straight out of. 

Verdandi follows a pace or two behind her, the goddess of the present, wearing the same dress and her hair just as white, though her skin is flawless and unblemished. Her eyes, like Uror's, are dark violet and stand out starkly against her pale skin. She is the kind of beautiful that is hard to believe, the kind that sinks into your mind and later will seem like a dream. 

Skuld comes last, dressed and colored the same as her sisters, but looking no more than twelve years old. She is the guardian of the future. The last of the sisters, telling the last of the tale. Her stark white hair is draped loosely around her, slightly more unkempt than that of her sisters, though her violet eyes are just the same. 

Loki has never seen the Norns, but he recognizes them at once—just as he knows that this is no vision, but a memory from long ago, and not one of his own. 

Loki circles the temple altar, watching the scene carefully as it unfolds. He is on Jotunheim, though the horizon is blurred like a painting that is only half done. He knows that his body is sleeping somewhere on Midgard, far from this place, but the chill sinks into his bones all the same. 

Laufey stands over the altar, drenched in deep red blood. Jotuns bleed blue, so it cannot be his own. Loki looks past him to see a coffin carved from the ice, a beautiful woman held within its grasp like something from one of the mortal fairytales; her is skin like the moonlight, her hair as dark as the void that surrounds it. It is a Jotun funeral rite, to give the bodies back to the ice—but the woman is not Jotun. 

Laufey does not look startled by the Norns. Legend tells that Jotunheim has little fear of them, though they put more stock in their words than do the Aesir. They were simply a part of life, a guiding force; not hated and not loved. 

"Speak, witches," Laufey says. "Tell me the fate of this halfling that has already taken from me the only one I have ever loved." 

"It is honorable to die giving birth to a child," Uror says, circling to the left of the child as Skuld goes right, and Verdandi stops directly in the middle. "She is at peace." 

"And I at war," Laufey snaps.

"I have spoken your future long ago," Skuld says, her small voice ringing clear across the room. "It is not our fault, if you did not heed it. We are not here now for you." 

"Then speak his fate," Laufey demands, and that's when Loki sees him. The baby laid out on the altar, too small to be a true Jotun, though the faint markings along its skin match Laufey's in every way he can see. 

"He will call upon knowledge that was long forgotten," Verdandi says, and places a kiss on the baby's forehead before stepping away, "and he will turn it to his use." 

Skuld reaches out, her hand hovering over the child, though she does not touch. "He will burn with terrifying power, and forsake this world of ice," she says. 

Uror, unlike her sisters, does not look at the baby while she speaks his fate. Instead her sharp eyes latch onto Laufey. "There is no path he will follow, that does not cause the downfall of his father," she says. 

Laufey lets out a sound like a sob, pushing himself away, staring at the baby with such hate that Loki feels that same hate rising up inside of him like a reflection from a mirror. This is the man that left him to die, abandoned him because of what he might become. 

"You cannot fight fate, father," Loki says, twisting that hate into something he can use, making weapons of words. "The Norns do not lie." 

Laufey's gaze snaps up, locking onto Loki with far too much clarity for a mere dream. "You," he gasps, his red eyes blazing as he steps forward. "How did you—?" 

Loki opens his mouth to respond, but all that comes out is a startled cry as he jerks upwards in the bed he was given by the Avengers. That was Laufey's memory, Laufey's mind, and he was half a universe away in Jotunheim. 

There is only one thing that could have bridged their minds in that way—the Tesseract is open once more. 

Loki takes in a deep gasping breath, and he can feel it now that he's awake, a fission of energy dancing in the air. The doorway is opening again, bridging the two realms—soon the frost giants will be able to enter Midgard. 

The thing with doors, however, is that you can cross them from either side. 

Loki stands up, dressing himself in his familiar Asgardian armor except for the helmet. Things are far worse than he had believed, but at least now he knows what he must to do. He leaves the room and heads for the elevator, but he does not make it very far before Thor appears in front of him, arms crossed and eyes narrowed. 

Loki sighs as he looks up to face his brother, because he does not have time to deal with his overbearing brother right now. "Have you been standing guard?" he asks resignedly. 

Thor tilts his head back, his usual arrogance softened slightly and transformed into the version he reserved for his little brother. "I have told you that I will protect you," he says. "Why do you not trust me?" 

Loki has never understood the way trust gets twisted into some sort of sentimental _ideal_. Of course he _trusts_ Thor—he trusts Thor to try to stop him, if he gets any inkling what he intends to do. Trust is variable, as all things are. Loki has learned to trust certain people with different things. 

And Thor cannot be trusted with this. 

"What if I were to ask you to trust me?" Loki asks, watching his brother carefully. Sometimes he wonders if he might have been relieved if Thor had simply disowned him—years ago after a fight, or upon discovering his parentage, or simply because Loki had played one trick too many. 

It is exhausting being so loved; but Loki fears what he might have become, without those that love him. The tingling sense of unease that thought brings should serve as a warning, but Loki knows he must do this alone. Loki has been quietly cleaning up after Thor's mistakes almost his entire life, but this is one he cannot blame entirely on his brother. 

This war is because of them both, but only Loki knows how to stop it before it even starts. 

"I do trust you," Thor says kindly. "But I fear for you all the same. If there is something you must do, let us do it together. You must tell me what is happening, Loki." 

"I am leaving here alone," Loki says, and Thor's change in expression tells him all he needs to know. Thor is not going to let him walk out of here without a fight. 

It is just as well then, that according to Thor, Loki does not _fight_. Loki merely performs tricks. Loki sparks a spell in the palm of his hand, reaching out gently to place his hand on Thor's arm; the veins in his arm light green briefly and Thor sways immediately, his pupils dilating as though he is drugged. 

"Loki?" he whispers. 

"It is only a harmless sleeping spell," Loki assures him, as he sits Thor down on the couch. "You'll wake up the next time someone says your name." 

Thor collapses against the cushions, one arm falling limply over the side of the couch as his eyes close. "Sweet dreams, brother," Loki says, and moves to the elevator. 

Loki touches the button for the top floor, letting his magic seep into the electrics and bypass the restriction. He can practically _feel_ Jarvis' disapproval, even before the AI speaks. 

"Mister Loki," Jarvis begins politely. "I have been informed by Mister Stark that you do not have access to the top floors." 

"But you will not inform Mister Stark of my whereabouts nor will you sound the alarm," Loki tells him, letting his palm rest against the elevator panel, his power spreading out further to encompass the tendrils and bits of data that made up Jarvis' soul. 

He builds blocks around the security systems to restrict Jarvis' access, caging him but leaving him unharmed. Loki is not one to wantonly destroy works of art—and Jarvis is unquestionably a masterpiece. 

"I do not recommend this course of action," Jarvis says. 

"You do not know my course of action," Loki says wryly. 

"True," Jarvis says. "However, I suspect you intend to take the Tesseract." 

"You are not entirely wrong," Loki agrees, impressed once more. "Only it is rather the reverse that I had in mind." 

"I would not recommend that course of action, either," Jarvis informs him. 

Loki steps out of the elevator as they reach the top floor. He could turn off Jarvis' voice if he so wished—he does not know why he does not. "Do you have emotions, Jarvis? Wants, or dreams?" 

"Not in the sense that you do," Jarvis says. 

"Meaning that in some sense you do," Loki intercedes, as he waves a hand to open the locked laboratory doors. "I used to have very simple wants, myself. What is it that you want?" 

"I wish for Mister Stark to remain out of trouble," Jarvis says. 

Loki snorts. "Why does that not surprise me?" he asks, his eyes tinting blue by the glow of the Tesseract as he steps closer. "He would create you to care only for him." 

"And what is it that you want, Mister Loki?" Jarvis asks. 

"I have only ever wanted to be worthy of the title I was given," Loki says quietly. "To please my family, to be useful—it appears that now I have been handed my chance, though it is not quite in the way I had imagined." 

"Loki?" 

Loki looks up at the voice, frowning as Steve wanders in, taking in the situation with darting blue eyes. Loki narrows his own. "Jarvis," he says disapprovingly. 

"You asked that I not inform Mister Stark nor sound the alarm," Jarvis says primly. "I have done neither. I merely suggested to Captain Rogers that he might find something of interest in the laboratory." 

"He hijacked my elevator ride, actually," Steve says wryly, stepping further inside. "You want to tell me what's going on here?" 

"The Tesseract container has been compromised," Loki says, turning away as he moves around the table. The Tesseract is still in the containment chamber Odin had enchanted, but Loki can feel its power leaking out, unraveling the rival magic like it is untangling a knot. 

"I thought that couldn't happen," Steve frowns, as he steps beside Loki, watching the cube with concern. 

"It should not have," Loki agrees. "I'm afraid it was sabotage. The container was tampered with." 

"Who would do that?" Steve asks. "Who _could_ do that?" 

"I did it," Loki tells him, circling it slowly. "Though I did not at the time realize what I had done." 

"Loki," Steve starts. 

"It slipped into my mind without my knowledge, and it is there still now," Loki says. "I left a chink in my father's magic so it could work its way free, because that is what it asked of me." 

"Is it controlling you?" Steve asks hesitantly, assessing Loki carefully; taking note of his position beside the Tesseract. Steve knows he has no hope of getting between them. 

Loki raises an eyebrow in amusement. "It cannot _control_ me," he says. "So it did what I would have done, and it tempted me instead." 

"Can you contain it then?" Steve asks. 

"It is too late for that," Loki says. "Its power is being wielded now by those that would misuse it, and must be stopped." 

"Tony," Steve says urgently. "If it's active again—" 

"Your friend should be fine so long as he stays out of close proximity," Loki reassures him. "I was confused before why it would have drawn from him at all, for the Tesseract is a power source of its own. But we had been working under the assumption that the opening of a doorway between Jotunheim and Earth was a spontaneous event that the Jotuns simply took advantage of." 

"And now you don't believe that?" he asks. 

"I have made the very dangerous mistake of underestimating them," Loki admits, looking down at the Tesseract. "Something I should have known far better than to do. The doorway requires power on both sides in order to open enough for someone to walk through—what powers the Jotuns had Odin has taken from them along with the Casket, so they drew power out from the Tesseract into a vessel to wield it as their own. I suspect the Tesseract reacted by in turn drawing power from your friend." 

"What kind of vessel?" Steve asks. 

"I suspect it is their King," Loki says evenly. "He is even now siphoning power from the Tesseract, drawing it open further. It will become increasingly unstable the longer he is allowed to continue." 

"Okay," Steve says, steeling himself. "We'll get the others, and then—" 

"Yes, please get them at once," Loki agrees, glancing up. "They should be made aware of what has happened. If the door is open again the frost giants may be visiting us soon." 

"Right," Steve agrees, and starts turn to leave. Something tickles at the back of his mind just before he steps away, something off about this whole thing.

Then he realizes what it is—Loki's beautiful green eyes, they've turned blue. 

Steve glances back just in time to see Loki remove the Tesseract from the container and hold it out in the palm of his hand. His eyes slip closed and a white beam shines down on him like a spotlight. Steve has only a split-second to make his decision and then he is running, grabbing onto Loki's other hand. 

But he is unable to pull Loki free, and instead is dragged along behind him. 

The lights flicker briefly as the Tesseract drops to the countertop with a loud clack—where it sits innocuously in the now empty room.

* * * * *

Tony groans as the lights flicker, so bright that it's seeping through his eyelids. His head is pounding already, so he rolls onto his stomach. "Jarvis, what's with the light show?" he asks groggily. "Is there an alarm? Cause that's the only reason you should be bothering me."

"No, sir," Javis says. "It is not an alarm, as I am at the moment unable to sound the alarm." 

Tony stills, lifting himself up reluctantly and blinking into the bright light. "Unable?" he echoes. "What do you mean, unable?" 

"My access to all security systems has been blocked," Jarvis explains. 

Tony's eyes narrow. "Loki," he snaps. 

"I can neither confirm nor deny that, sir," Jarvis says. 

Tony rolls from bed, grabbing for his pants. He drags them on quickly, his headache washed away by adrenaline. "Where is he?" he demands. 

"I regret to inform you that I am unable to divulge any information to you regarding our guest Mister Loki at this time," Jarvis says. 

"Okay," Tony says. "How about his brother?" 

"Mister Thor is currently unconscious on the couch on his assigned floor," Javis says. 

"Unconscious?" Tony demands. 

"I'm afraid that I cannot—" 

"Yeah, yeah, no divulging the activities of the freakin' God of Mischief," Tony snaps, as he drags himself to the elevator. "I don't know why I'm surprised. You invite a couple Norse Gods as houseguests, add in some career killers and a boy scout from the 1940s, shake well, and watch the disaster unfold—really, what did I expect?" 

"I have no idea, sir," Jarvis says helpfully. "If I might say, for someone as intelligent as yourself, your deductive reasoning regarding the social interactions of others is really quite appalling." 

"Floor eighty eight," Tony says tetchily. "Without the commentary, if it pleases you." 

"As you wish, sir," Jarvis says. 

"And wake up the others, it's too early to be dealing with this kind of thing," Tony says. "And call Coulson!" 

"He is already on his way, sir," Jarvis says. "I have briefed him fully." 

"You have briefed _him_ fully?" Tony asks incredulously. "Any chance you could tell me what's going on?" 

"Not at this time, sir," Jarvis says. 

"Of course not," Tony snaps, stepping out onto Thor and Loki's floor as the elevator doors opened. He finds Thor exactly where Jarvis had said he would be—passed out on the couch. Tony pokes him. "Hey, Fabio. Wake up." 

Thor sleeps on obliviously and Tony narrows his eyes. "Listen, Prince Charming, I'm not going to kiss you, so wake up," he says, giving his shoulder a firm shake. "Thor! Hey, wake up!" 

Thor shoots up, his eyes going wide. "Loki—where—" 

"Yeah, good question," Tony says, as the elevator doors open again and Bruce, Clint and Natasha come rushing in. 

"What's going on?" Clint demands, looking wide-awake and entirely put together. Natasha, beside him, looks just as bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. 

Thank god for Bruce, Tony thinks, who is sporting bed-hair similar to his own and has put on his shirt backwards, or Tony might have started worrying he was living on the co-ed Superhero edition of America's Top Model. 

Although, Tony notes, Bruce does more than pull the look off. 

"No idea," Tony says, looking back to Clint. "Loki has tampered with Jarvis, so I don't know what's going on. I would have suspected he was taking the Tesseract back to Asgard, except that he left behind big brother here." 

"No, my friends," Thor agrees. "I fear he has gone to Jotunheim to try and stop this war, though how he intends to do so I could not guess." 

"Let's head to the lab and make sure," Clint says, hitting the call button on the elevator. 

"Is there anyone that doesn't know about my lab?" Tony asks, but leads the way nonetheless. Tony heads straight to his main computer console when they arrive, while Thor moves to attempt to glare the Tesseract into submission. Clint and Natasha seem to be setting up some kind of perimeter or doing other assassin type things, so Tony ignores them and waves Bruce over distractedly. 

Tony pulls up Jarvis' base code and lets out a low whistle as he examines Loki's handiwork. "Your brother is a genius," he says to Thor. "I don't know how he had the time to—unless he—oh, of course. Damn magic. But how did he adapt so quickly to our technology—?" 

"I do not understand your strange pattern of speech," Thor says testily. "Do you know what Loki has done?" 

"He has seamlessly subverted a program that took even me _years_ to write, without harming it or corrupting it in the slightest," Tony says in disbelief. 

Thor still looks somewhat bemused, but he nods. "My brother is very clever," he says. "Our father has often sent him to other worlds to understand their methods of war." 

"So he's like your own personal one-man CIA?" Tony asks. "Color me unsurprised." 

Tony looks back at the display, frowning as he begins to unravel Loki's complex code. Loki has obviously created it to be undone, but it's no easy process all the same. "It's like he's Mozart and I'm Salieri," he exclaims. "Is this how it is for you people all the time?" 

"Tony," Bruce chides. "Stop admiring his work and undo it. And has anyone seen Steve?" 

Everyone pauses, glancing around at the others. Tony has a bad feeling. "Bruce," he says. "Ask Jarvis where he is." 

"What? Why can't you ask him?" Bruce asks. 

"Because Loki has rightly ascertained that I am the man around here to be reckoned with, and taken measures to keep me out of the loop," Tony snaps. "For example: Jarvis, where is Steve?" 

"I am afraid that I cannot provide you with that information at this time," Jarvis says. 

Tony motions to Bruce. "Jarvis, where is Steve?" Bruce asks. 

"He disappeared along with Mister Loki from this room at 4:09 a.m.," Jarvis says helpfully. "He appeared to be attempting to stop Mister Loki from using the Tesseract for some uncertain purpose." 

"He has used the doorway," Thor growls, moving to stare down the Tesseract again. "Sorcerer, how do you open this?" 

"Uh, are you talking to me?" Bruce asks, looking to Tony for help. "I'm not a sorcerer, I'm a scientist." 

"It's mostly the same thing, so I get why you're confused," Tony says. "But we don't know how to open the door, and we're a little busy right now trying to figure out how to _close_ it." 

"If you cannot open it then I must return to Asgard at once," Thor says, his fierce eyes scanning over the Tesseract before turning for the doors. 

Clint quickly moves in front of him to block his exit. "Hold on," he says. "You can't just leave this thing here." 

"I cannot transport it without either the container or my brother's magic," Thor snaps. "I will return to Asgard and my father, and obtain the means to contain the Tesseract and retrieve my brother." 

"And Steve," Natasha says tightly. 

Thor looks over at her, softening slightly. "Yes, of course," he says. "I will find them both." 

"Then you should return, by all means," Coulson says, as he appears in the doorway. "I would be happy to take you wherever you need to go." 

"That will not be necessary," Thor says tightly, moving past him. "It is not somewhere you could follow." 

Thor storms out and Tony glances over at Coulson. "Well done," he says. "There goes our first line of defense." 

"He's more use to us getting reinforcements," Coulson says dryly. "I want you and Dr. Banner to figure out a way to contain the Tesseract until he returns." 

"That hasn't actually gotten any easier to do since the last time you asked," Tony says. 

Bruce frowns as Coulson motions to Natasha and Clint. Natasha nods her acknowledgement and disappears out the doors. "What are you planning to do?" Bruce asks. 

"Orders from on high," Clint says. "We've been ordered to find out where the Asgardians are going and how." 

"Now, Clint!" Coulson snaps. 

Clint moves by him with a roll of his eyes, before jogging off to join Natasha. Coulson nods at the scientists and then moves to follow.

"Wait, hold on, you're taking our muscle and leaving us alone with the doom cube?" Tony demands. 

"Reinforcements are already on their way," Coulson calls back. "Until then I suggest you keep your suit handy." 

Tony watches him leave, before turning to Bruce in disbelief. 

"So, what do you say, Bruce?" Tony asks, his eyes reflecting the blue glow of the Tesseract as he leans down to grin at it. "Want to save the world while they're off chasing storms?" 

"I'd feel safer chasing the storm, to be quite honest," Bruce says.

Tony laughs, spinning in his chair to return his attention to his computer console. "Don't worry, buddy," Tony says. "I'm pretty sure the storm will come to us."

* * * * *

The world comes into focus slowly. Steve's eyes have been blinded by the flash of the Tesseract, but he can feel an icy wind arcing across his skin. Two large blobs finally coalesce as his blackened vision goes white, and Steve steps back as he realizes they are giants like the ones that infiltrated the SHIELD base.

"Did you hear something?" one of the frost giants asks. 

"Who knows?" the other says. "This whole place is haunted by the souls of the ancients."

Steve steels himself, preparing to confront them, and then Loki appears out of nowhere, pressing him back against a pillar with a hand covering his mouth. "Be silent," Loki whispers, glancing back at the giants. "I have made us invisible to their eyes."

Loki stays pressed up against him as the giants move by. The stone ground beneath them trembles with their every step, and Steve glances up to realize that he is in some sort of temple. Loki does not remove his hand until the giants have faded into the distance, disappearing into the landscape with their built in camouflage. 

Loki steps away then, looking into the distance. Steve notices that his eyes are still tinged with a sort of blue glow. Loki has always looked somewhat less alien than Thor—otherworldly, to be sure, but not as though he were actually from another world. 

He looks very alien now, and his strange armor only adds to the effect. Steve has only seen Loki wearing variations of Earth clothing since he arrived. The armor he wears now is a subtler version of Thor's, darker so that it is better suited to the shadows than the sky. 

"Loki, where are we?" Steve asks, even though he is fairly certain he knows. 

"Jotunheim," Loki says. "Home of the frost giants." 

"Right," Steve says, pulling his arms around himself. He is still wearing the same clothes he had when he had taken Loki to the diner, a thin button up blue shirt and jeans along with his boots. He had not even brought his jacket. 

"I'm not overly fond of ice," Steve says. 

Loki frowns over at him for a moment before stepping closer. He swings one hand out and Steve hears a strange fluttering noise before something covers his shoulders and back. Loki has pulled a white cloak out of the air, and he gently wraps it around Steve.

"No, nor am I," Loki agrees, as he reaches behind Steve to lift up a fur-lined hood.

Steve looks down at the cloak in disbelief. "How did you—?" 

"It is magic," Loki says simply. 

"Right," Steve says, and gratefully pulls it around him. "Thank you. Aren't you going to make one for yourself?" 

Loki shakes his head. "I do not get cold," he says dismissively, before piercing Steve with his sharp gaze. "You should not have followed me." 

"It definitely wasn't my plan to end up here," Steve agrees, watching Loki carefully. "Though I'm guessing that it was yours."

"I used the doorway, yes," Loki says. "Why did you turn back? You were leaving when I first opened the door." 

"Your eyes were blue," Steve tells him. "I thought maybe it was doing something to you." 

Loki blinks, and his eyes are green again. "I was doing something to it," he corrects. "What you saw was merely some residual energy. It's nothing to worry about." 

"You don't have to lie to me," Steve says. 

"I don't _have_ to lie to anyone," Loki says. "But it does make one's life so much easier." 

"Let's stick with the truth for now, anyway. Can you get us back to Earth?" Steve asks. 

"The doorway is guarded by sentries, and I cannot risk our presence being known before I have completed my plans," Loki says. "There are other ways I know, but they are far more dangerous and would drain my strength." 

"I'm guessing that's a no?" Steve asks. 

"It was a yes," Loki says. "There are any number of ways I could get us both back to Earth." 

"You're just not going to," Steve realizes. 

Loki tosses him a sly grin. "My dear Captain, getting back to Earth is the least of my concerns at the moment," he says. "I have far more pressing matters vying for my attention." 

"Care to share them?" Steve asks. 

"You would not understand," Loki says. "You could not." 

"Explain it to me anyway," Steve says gently. 

Loki looks away. "I am over a thousand years old," he says. "And I am still considered young. Can you imagine, then, how the rest of Asgard sees you? How the frost giants see you?" 

"I'm almost a hundred," Steve offers wryly. 

Loki laughs. "That you are," he agrees. "But you spent most of it asleep. It does not matter how talented you and your Avengers are, you will be ill prepared for what is coming. If we do not stop this war swiftly, it could drag on past your lifetimes. You cannot defeat the frost giants alone." 

"Then I guess it's a good thing we have you," Steve says. 

"Thor has been made your protector, not I," Loki says. "I was sent merely to dazzle you with magic tricks and pretty words." 

"Hmm," Steve says. "And did anyone tell that to you? Cause rushing off to Jotunheim doesn't seem like it applies to that description." 

"I did not come here for Midgard," Loki says simply. "I came here for myself." 

"To kill the King," Steve guesses. 

"Yes, the King," Loki agrees. "My father by blood." 

"What?" Steve asks, taken off guard.

"I was not born to Asgard," Loki says simply. 

"You're a frost giant?" Steve asks. "Are you—I mean, do you—?"

"I am only part Jotun," Loki says tightly. "This is my true size and as much my appearance as anything else." 

"I didn't mean to offend you," Steve says. 

"You have not," Lok assures him. "It is my own nature that offends me." 

"And you think killing your father, the King, is going to make a difference?" Steve asks. 

"I _think_ ," Loki says wryly, "that killing him will stop this war before it begins." 

"Loki," Steve starts. 

"I am certain that he is controlling the doorway," Loki says. "I can feel its power myself far deeper than my magic alone should allow. The frost giants cannot be allowed to posses this power. They would destroy everything." 

"You're sure that it is the King controlling the doorway?" Steve asks. 

"I have seen inside his mind," Loki says. "I am as certain as it is possible to be, but I shall ask him before I kill him if it will put your mind at ease." 

Steve sighs. "I suppose that is as much as I can hope for," he says. 

Loki pauses. "This is something that must be done," he says, turning back to face him. "For my family, for your world. Sometimes I must do distasteful things to keep those I love safe." 

Steve pulls the cloak tightly around himself. "That could be the Avengers' motto," he says wryly.

"Then perhaps you do understand," Loki says. 

"I have done distasteful things myself," Steve says. "But they have always been a last resort." 

"Ah," Loki says. "I prefer more preemptive actions. I like to have enough time to plan." 

"And what exactly is the plan here?" Steve asks. 

"Find him, question him, and kill him," Loki says. "I admit it is a plan more worthy of Thor than of me, but I do not have the time for my typical elaborate finesse."

Steve grins slightly. "Okay, well, we're here, so what do you say we add in a bit of your elaborate finesse? You've got backup now." 

"This is not your fight," Loki says at once.

"You said it yourself, it is my world at stake here," Steve says. "If stopping this King will really prevent a war, then I will assist you with anything short of murder." 

Loki admires Steve's calm acceptance of their situation, though he wonders if he is making a mistake allowing Steve to stay here. Perhaps he should send him home, even if it drains his power. The Tesseract had been supplementing his powers, and had even healed his injury so that not even a scar was left, so he might be able to borrow some energy back. 

But Loki is wary of taking too much from the Tesseract, lest it start to collect something for itself in return. 

"We must go to Laufey's court," Loki says after a moment. "As to a more refined plan there are too many unknowns for me to formulate one with much chance of success. I need more information before I can decide on the best method to dispatch him." 

"Dispatch him," Steve echoes.

"You think me heartless?" Loki asks, stepping closer. "My _father_ left me to die when I was but an infant. He feared what I would become, because the Norns foresaw that I would be the end of him." 

"The Norns?" Steve asks. "Those are the Fates, aren't they? You mean that they're real?" 

"They exist, yes," Loki says. "And they are never wrong." 

Steve reaches out and grabs Loki's arm, forcing him to face him. "Tell me you're not just doing this to fulfill some prophecy," he snaps. "Because I'm with you up to a point. We're behind enemy lines, we might not get another chance like this. I think we should do some reconnaissance, if we can capture the King then great—" 

"Capture?" Loki echoes silkily. "You cannot capture someone like Laufey, and in any case it would be the greatest insult we could give. He has lived in disgrace for centuries because Odin spared his life. I am going to give him the warrior's death his kind so revere, before he can redeem himself by killing instead all of us." 

"Loki," Steve snaps. "I thought you were different—you aren't—" 

"I am not what?" Loki asks, leaning close. "Not a warrior?" 

"Not so closed-minded to a single set of ideas," Steve corrects. 

"Ah," Loki says. "That is very true. My morals are…shall we say, quite fluid. I am of two races, and raised by another, but not bound to any. I have no code of honor of my own, though it may at times please me to follow some other's." 

"I don't believe you," Steve says firmly, not backing down. "You said yourself your motivation is to protect the ones you loved, and Loki, that's a code all its own." 

Loki laughs, stepping back. "Perhaps," he says. "Nevertheless, the methods I choose to employ to do so are rarely ever the same. I use what is convenient and what is there, and it will amuse me to kill Laufey through his own warrior's code. I will challenge him, and he will have no choice but to fight." 

"And what if he wins?" Steve demands. "You don't have to do this alone." 

Loki starts walking away. "If it looks as though he is going to win, I will escape," he says. "I have no wish to die myself, whether as a warrior or as something else." 

Steve follows after him, holding the cloak tightly in front of him as he pushes into the sharp wind. "How far is it to Laufey's court?" he asks. 

"It is close to the temple, do not worry," Loki says. "He would not wish to be far from the energy of the Tesseract." Loki points through the snow. "It is just there. You can see it from here." 

Steve whistles lowly as he makes out a huge shape, carved into the ice upon a throne. "That is some statue," he says in awe.

"That is no statue, Captain," Loki says tightly. "That is the King himself." 

No sooner than Loki speaks does Steve see it move, its head shifting and blinking open those bottomless red eyes—his gaze moves out across the clearing. Loki stands right out in the open, staring straight back, though Laufey's gaze moves past him without stopping. Loki's invisibility glamour has obviously held, though Steve does not quite approve of his reckless method of testing it. 

"What do we do?" Steve asks. The frost giants he had seen within the SHIELD base had not seemed even half as large as the King. Loki grabs his hand and tugs him along ever closer to the court. Crumbling pillars come into view around them, almost indistinguishable from the stalagmites of ice, scattered in a large circle around the throne. 

"You will stay here," Loki tells him, turning and pushing Steve out of sight between a couple of the large frost covered pillars. "Do not come out, whatever happens."

"I can help," Steve insists. 

Loki shakes his head, reaching out gently to frame Steve's face and tilt his head up. "You do not have your shield," he says solemnly. "And I fear even that would do little against even one frost giant. I am sorry you were dragged here with me, and had I the strength to both complete this task and get you home, I would take you back now." 

"If he's so dangerous then why not wait?" Steve asks, reaching up to grasp Loki's wrists when he goes to move away. "We can get your brother, the others, there's no—" 

"It has to be now, he will grow only more powerful," Loki says, stepping back and twisting free. "If I should fail, then find some place to hide. Asgard will come here before long to fight, and they will aid you if you seek them out." 

"Loki," Steve says again, reaching out to try and grab him. Loki looks back once before moving towards the King, and then Steve is too late to stop him. He slams against an invisible barrier, trapped as though in a cell, as Loki raises a shield up around him and then lowers his own. 

Steve only just stops himself from shouting for Loki to stop, unwilling to give away his chance for surprise—but Loki does not appear concerned with being seen. He steps right up to the throne, his head tilted back as he assesses the King. 

The King himself looks surprised more than anything, his sharp red eyes focused down now fully on Loki. He leans forward with his arms resting on his legs, so he can better meet Loki's gaze. "The little prince," he says wryly. "I would not have thought you to be foolish enough to return here." 

"Father," Loki says, his sweet tone twisting the word into an insult as he makes a mockery of a bow. The very air around him seems to flicker and then there are twenty Lokis before the throne, each of them identical to the last. 

"We have questions," one Loki says. 

"You will want to answer them," says another. 

Laufey's guards look confused about where to start, and Laufey holds out a hand to still their approach. "You risk much coming here," he says. "We are at war, and this does not follow any rules of battle." 

"It does not break them either," Loki says simply. "I am no Asgardian warrior, as you well know. I have never been one. I am Jotun, and I am on Jotunheim, so surely there is nothing in my actions that could be construed as an act of war?" 

"I had not thought you would accept your origins so easily," Laufey says wryly. 

"I have always known they were not quite what they seemed," Loki answers. 

Laufey watches the Loki closest to him, the one that has been elected spokesman. He is the one that first approached, and is drawing everyone's eye, and for all of these reasons Laufey is certain this one at least is merely an illusion. 

"Something you seem to rely on," Laufey says. 

"I use what it is at hand," Loki says. 

"Ask your questions," Laufey says. 

"It is not coincidence that the Tesseract has awoken so soon after you have declared war," Loki says. "I want to know why, if you had this power, would you wait until now?" 

"It is true it is not coincidence, but that does not mean the Tesseract awoke at my command," Laufey says. "I am not the one that called upon its power, for it has been hidden from me for so long I had forgotten where to look." 

"Explain yourself," Loki demands. "If you did not call upon it—" Loki falters as soon as the question is asked, his breath hitching as Laufey's lips spread into a feral grin. 

"You awoke its power," Laufey says in confirmation. "You were injured when you last were here and called upon its power to assist you. You should have died from your injuries, but that it answered your call." 

"Then this truly is my doing," Loki says. "I have brought this war upon us." 

"That fool of an Odinson has brought this war upon us, my son," Laufey says. "You have merely given us back the means to win it." 

"Why would it answer me?" Loki demands. 

"You truly do not understand?" Laufey asks, almost kindly. "Child, we are the Tesseract, and the Tesseract is us. It is _our_ power, torn from us and caged. Did Odin never tell you what he'd done? How he defeated us? He stripped from us everything we are and stored it all away like some trophy, like some _spoil of war_!" 

Laufey stands, his full height causing all of the Lokis to step back in order to keep view of his eyes. "The casket was our creation," Laufey continues fiercely. "A way to combine and channel our energies. Odin used it against us, pulling our power from it and drawing out everything that we had—creating the Tesseract. What do you think of your precious All-Father now?" 

Loki glances up, keeping his expression purposely neutral. "You overestimate what outrage I should feel on your behalf," Loki says evenly. "My feelings for the All-Father have not changed." 

Laufey roars, forcing one hand against the air in front of him, the motion causing a blast of wind to knock Loki to the ground and scatter his illusions like smoke. Loki glances up, his boots slipping on the ice as he gets his hands behind him to push himself to back to his feet. 

Laufey's eyes focus now on him, his illusionary selves vanished and his convenient spokesman shield scattered to the wind. Laufey should not have been able to do that. Loki collects his own power to him and focuses on Laufey once more, recognizing the magic he carries within him now that he knows where to look. 

The last time he had stood before Laufey, he had only cold dead magic running through his veins—some remnant of a legacy, that ability they have to transform and create and wield ice. 

This was something else entirely—this was the power of the Tesseract inside of Laufey now. Or, if Laufey is to be believed, this is Laufey with his own power restored. 

"You saw my memory," Laufey states, stepping forward to stare down at Loki. "Perhaps you wonder why my mind wanders so far into the past? The reason I have been revisiting that day is because I no longer believe it was of me that the Norns spoke. They often riddle their words, to get us to do as they will us." 

"You think I'm going to destroy Odin, instead of you?" Loki asks in realization, and laughs. "It is true he is more of a father than you have ever been, but I would sooner destroy myself than him." 

Laufey reaches out with one large hand, closing it around Loki's neck to lift him off his feet. Loki gasps and reaches up to try and pry Laufey's fingers loose, feeling even as he does the chill spread across his skin, painting him like a canvas to match the scene. 

"That can be arranged," Laufey promises him, his fingers tightening marginally in threat. 

Loki watches through his newly tinted vision as a large stone hits Laufey in the side of his head, causing him to release his grip. Loki drops abruptly ten feet to the cold ice, but his Jotun form protects him from any damage. He glances sideways and sees Steve half-hidden behind the rubble. When Laufey had dispelled him, the shield he had raised had obviously faltered as well. 

Loki rolls up to his feet, correcting his form as he does. He sees Laufey motion to the guards before returning to the greater threat: Loki. 

"Why will you not face me in your true form?" Laufey sneers. "You are better than those that raised you. You are stronger. They call themselves Gods but what we are there is no true name for—we are older than time itself." 

"I am no one thing," Loki says. 

"You could be the greatest King to ever live," Laufey promises, approaching. "Help me defeat Asgard and I will gift you their throne. You do not yet know the extent of our true power—but once we have been restored none will be able to harm us." 

"Odin yet lives," Loki says. "He has defeated you before." 

"Through trickery, which his kind so despises!" Laufey sneers. "But we are nothing if not wise, and we will not fall for the same trick twice. The Casket shall be destroyed, and the Tesseract absorbed within us. And we will be true giants once more." 

Loki sees a giant nearing Steve, and he spins out around Laufey, launching a handful of green fire at Laufey's guard. It hits him in the chest, sending him flying back into the ice, and Steve disappears into the ruins again. Laufey glares back at him. "Who is with you? It is not the Odinson, he would face me," he says. 

"He would probably also answer your questions as you have answered mine, but I feel no such obligation," Loki says, gathering all of his power and then throwing his hands out, launching it straight at Laufey. 

Laufey reaches out and catches the spinning orb of power in the palm of one hand, and lets it sit harmlessly in his grasp. He grins wryly and Loki braces himself to have it thrown back at him—but Laufey spins instead, sending it straight at the ruins where Steve hides. 

The power is exploding out before Loki can stop it, sending rumble flying in every direction. Steve slides out onto the ice, his hair matted with blood and his eyes half-lidded as he raises his head to look up at the King. 

"This?" Laufey asks, and laughs. "This tiny mortal? My son, you used to be much more discerning of what company you would keep." 

Loki sees Laufey reaching out, preparing to strike Steve down. He pushes forward, falling into a slide across the ice. He grasps one of Steve's wrists the moment he reaches him, teleporting away just before Laufey's blade of ice slams down against the space where they had been. 

Laufey lets out a roar of frustration, before turning to glare at his useless guards. "They are still near, I can feel my son's magic," he says. "Find them. They must not be allowed to leave Jotunheim. Kill the mortal if you must, but do not kill the prince. His role in this is not yet at its end."

The guards bow in acknowledgement and then race off over the ice, disappearing into the snowy winds.

* * * * *

Thor seeks Heimdall's eyes the moment he is pulled back to Asgard. "Gatekeeper," he calls. "Can you see my brother?"

"Loki is only seen when he wants to be," Heimdall answers dryly. 

Thor narrows his eyes, stomping closer. "Do you know where he is or do you not?" he demands. 

"Last I saw him he was departing from here with you," Heimdall says. "He has veiled himself from me ever since. It amuses him to do so, whether he has need to or not." 

"Very well," Thor says in frustration. "But keep searching for him, Heimdall. I fear he is in great danger." 

Heimdall nods in acknowledgement and Thor raises his hammer and takes off, flying straight to the palace entrance. The guards open the doors as he grows close and he stalks inside, heading straight to the throne room to find his father. He pushes inside, relieved to see that Odin is present. 

"Thor," Odin says in concern. "My son, why have you returned?" 

"Loki has gone missing," Thor snaps. "He has used to the Tesseract to transport himself somewhere." 

Odin stands, his eye narrowing in concern. "He has done what?" he mutters, angrily twisting his staff in his hand. "I had feared he might do something like this." 

"I am sorry, father," Thor says, moving his gaze to the ground. "I attempted to stop him, but—" 

Odin waves him off. "But Loki is not easy to stop," he finishes. "Though perhaps this is what was meant to happen. We love Loki and would have sought to protect him from this, but that does not necessarily mean it would have been for the best." 

"Father, I do not understand—" Thor says. "We must find Loki at once, and then retrieve the Tesseract from Midgard before the frost giants can invade." 

"We cannot be rash in our actions now," Odin insists. "We should first confer with Heimdall." 

"Heimdall cannot see him," Thor says in frustration. "But I know very well where he is. He has gone to Jotunheim. You must allow me to go after him." 

Odin shakes his head. "No, my son," Odin says. "As much as it pains me, we must focus now on protecting Midgard. I will have another container prepared for the Tesseract, this one I will enchant so you can use it without Loki's magic—"

"That won't be necessary," Thor snaps. "I have every intention that Loki shall be with me. I'm going to find him." 

"You will not," Odin commands. "Loki will have had a purpose in going to Jotunheim. If we were to invade to bring him home it would signal the start of the war." 

"The war has already started!" Thor roars. "I will not abandon him." 

"You will do as you're told," Odin yells back. 

"Thor," Frigga calls, her calm voice ringing through the throne room like a whip. "Come with me." 

Thor glances around, and sees Frigga standing in the doorway, her eyes pinning him in place. Then she turns and disappears into the hall. 

"I would not keep her waiting," Odin advises, though his tone has softened. 

Thor spins on his heel and moves to follow his mother. She is waiting for him at the end of the hall, though she moves to the right the moment he spots her. He follows her steps until she leads him into her library—it is the room one could usually find Frigga or Loki, when one or the other or both went missing. 

Thor has not spent much time there except to try and coax them out of it. She motions towards the small couch in the reading area. "Sit," she instructs. 

"Mother," Thor begins. "Surely you agree that Loki must be brought home." 

"Nothing would please me more," Frigga says. "But we do not always get what we want." 

Thor tenses. "If this is another of father's lessons," he begins. 

"Your father has reasons for all that he does," Frigga says. "As does Loki. Even if you do not understand what those reasons are it would be wise not to dismiss them." 

"I am not trying to defy father again," Thor says tiredly. "But Loki is in danger. I should be with him." 

"Loki is where he needs to be," Frigga tells him kindly. "I know it may not seem like it right now, but things are turning out for the best. It might not always have happened this way. I have seen other futures." 

"I thought your visions were always true," Thor says with a frown. "You have seen a different future?" 

"My sight is not infallible," Frigga explains gently. "And if any could fool it, it would be Loki." 

"But I have to find him," Thor insists. "I cannot be expected to just—" 

"Thor," Frigga interrupts. "He needs time to fight this battle on his own, just as you did on Midgard. You will be fighting together again soon enough." Frigga sighs, leaning forward to clasp his hands. "You must understand, you and Odin…it is so easy to be lost in you both, and Loki has too long been giving up who he is for your sake. It very nearly destroyed him." 

Thor looks horrified. "Mother, I never—" he swallows. "I would never do anything to hurt him." 

"Oh, my son, I know that," she says. "And so does Loki. But sometimes he gets hurt anyway." 

"Can you at least tell me, is he going to be alright?" Thor asks. 

Frigga lets go of his hands, her eyes going distant. "I wish that I could," she says. "But Loki remains elusive even to me, and there are still a number of ways that this war may end." Frigga smiles sadly. "It seems I must learn to do as others do when it comes to my youngest, and simply have faith. For even I do not know what his future may hold."

* * * * *

Tony rests his head on his hands, staring at the Tesseract until it blurs, but no answers materialize in front of him. A cup of coffee obscures the view and Tony glances up to see Bruce leaning against the counter beside him.

"Drink up," Bruce says. "We've got to stay awake." 

Tony grabs at the coffee in desperation. "Oh, sweet ambrosia," he mutters, "What's the status with the Storm Troopers?" 

"They've pretty much taken over your entire building," Bruce tells him. 

"I don't know whether or not I should be reassured," Tony says with a sigh. He glances wearily at the doorway of his lab, where two SHIELD agents are standing guard. "Did the infrared thermographic scan complete?" 

"Yep," Bruce says. 

"And?" Tony asks. 

"Same as the last three times," Bruce says wryly. 

"You know, I can figure out how anything on this world works," Tony says. "But this?" 

"Well, this isn't from _this_ world," Bruce says. 

"We need Loki," Tony says. "He's already got a good grasp of our science and he understands the Tesseract better than any of the rest of us." 

"He also didn't seem inclined to share that information, whatever he said to the contrary," Bruce says, wrapping his arms around himself as he gets a chill. "We'll figure it out. We just need time." 

"Yeah," Tony says, nodding towards the Tesseract. "But I don't think we're going to get it." 

Bruce spins around. The Tesseract is pulsing, and there is a fog starting to build around it as it sucks all the heat from the room. Bruce leans forward in concern, pulling at Tony's shirt to check on the arc reactor. 

"It doesn't seem to be draining from you this time at least," he says. 

"Which makes one wonder what's going on with it this time," Tony says. "Whatever's going on, we need to get it out of here." 

"And take it where?" Bruce demands. 

Tony moves to the other side of his lab. "Jarvis," he says. "I need to suit up." 

"Tony?" Bruce questions. 

Tony gets in position as Jarvis goes to work and begins to piece the suit together around him. He is fully suited up in a moment, but he lifts up the face plate again and turns back towards Bruce. "I'm going to take it back to the New Mexico SHIELD base, stick it in your Hulk proof cage. It's the best chance we have." 

"It's too dangerous," Bruce protests. "What if it starts drawing from you again?" 

"Then I'll be screwed," Tony says, reaching out to lift a reinforced case. He opens it on the counter, and then uses a pair of large pliers to place the Tesseract within it. 

"This is a bad idea," Bruce says again. "And what about the Storm Troopers?" 

"Better to ask forgiveness than permission," Tony says, glancing back at them. They are both still facing out into the hallway. "Hold down the fort, huh?" 

"Be careful, Tony," Bruce demands. 

"Always," Tony says, flashing him a grin before lowering the faceplate again. He reaches out a hand and blasts a window out. The SHIELD agents spin around, but Tony grabs the case and flies out the window before they know what's happening. 

"Jarvis," Tony says. "I need you to map out the quickest route to the New Mexico base." 

"Mapping now, sir," Jarvis says. 

"You haven't been corrupted by the trouble-making mischief maker too, have you?" Tony asks, because he's counting on the Jarvis he'd downloaded into his suit remaining intact.

"My programming has been unaffected," Jarvis assures him. "Course has been mapped. Would you like me to engage auto-pilot?" 

"Please," Tony says. "Full speed ahead! Allons-y, Alfonso!" 

"I'm afraid I am unable to comply at this time," Jarvis says. 

"Jarvis, you said that you weren't—" Tony starts. 

"Power levels are dropping," Jarvis explains. "At the current rate that they are being expended you will be completely drained of power in one minute and forty-nine seconds." 

"I was fully charged," Tony insists, pausing to glance down at himself. The arc reactor is blinking out again. "That is not good." 

"One minute and twenty-four seconds," Jarvis says helpfully. "Sir, might I suggest you begin your descent while you are still able to do so at a non-lethal speed?"

Tony carefully lowers himself down towards an abandoned alley, falling a few feet before catching his balance. He drops the last twenty feet in a freefall as the power cuts out, and the briefcase goes flying from his hands, crashing open and sending the Tesseract rolling a few feet away. 

"This is not good," Tony mutters, feeling his suit grow sluggish to respond as his power continues to blink in and out. 

"Indeed," Jarvis agrees. "Your orders, sir?" 

"Put in a call to Bruce," Tony says with a sigh, glancing back at the Avengers building where it towers a few blocks away. "Tell him to send out the Storm Troopers." 

"Contacting them now, sir," Jarvis says.

"Oh, and Jarvis?" Tony says, rolling to lie on his back. "Tell him to bring a back-up battery." 

"Of course, sir," Jarvis says. "However, power levels are stabilizing. I think the greatest danger has past." 

"I'm afraid it's yet to come," Tony says. 

"Ah, of course," Jarvis agrees. "An alien army may be invading at any time. You are correct, your situation remains quite dire." 

"I was thinking more about what's going to happen to me once Fury gets a hold of me," Tony says with a wince. "Asking permission instead of forgiveness only works if the plan succeeds." 

"I shall keep that in mind, sir," Jarvis says.

* * * * *

The moment that Loki's fingers close around his wrist, Steve feels himself being compressed into nothing and then expanded again in span of one breath.

He comes gasping back to awareness somewhere else entirely. It is a barren space, and Loki still grips his wrist, as they lay on the ice. Steve glances up, feeling the icy winds pushing against them and blowing back his hood, the very air itself sharp enough to wound. 

And Steve can see nothing, can see no one, for miles in any direction. 

"What just happened?" he asks, and his head is still spinning. He blinks and feels blood running down past his eyes, dripping down to paint the ice red. Loki is already on his feet, and forcing Steve to follow him. 

"I thought I told you to stay out of sight?" Loki asks. 

"You were about to be killed," Steve explains. "Did you at least get the answers you wanted?" 

"No," Loki says. "But I got answers, nevertheless. Now, come. We need to get you out of the cold." 

"Is there a place on this world that _isn't_ cold?" Steve asks. 

Loki pulls up short beside a towering wall of ice. "Not exactly, but I can always carve one out," he says, and fire begins to burn out from the palm of his hand, the flames curving in on themselves to form an orb. He sends it flying at the wall and it blasts outwards—forming a kind of vertical crater some twenty feet deep. 

Loki pulls Steve inside and the wall of ice closes seamlessly behind them. "Neat trick," Steve says, turning to look back at the wall. He spins back around when he gets no response. Loki has fallen to sit against the wall of ice, his head cradled in one hand. He looks almost as pale as the snow that surrounds him. "Hey? You okay?" 

"I had not expected Laufey to be quite that powerful yet," Loki admits. "Whatever he hit me with drained my magic considerably, and the teleportation and creation of this cave seems to have used up whatever was left. I will need time to regain it. I could perhaps restore it more quickly by alternative means, but it would be risky." 

Steve nods in acknowledgement. "Okay," he says. "I spent seventy years in the ice, I can handle this." 

Loki grins wryly, before tracing his eyes over Steve's wound. "You are injured," he says, beginning to frown. "Come here." 

Steve stumbles over, sliding down the wall of ice to collapse into a heap beside him. "We're quite a pair, huh?" 

Loki's hand hovers above Steve's cloak, and as he slowly waves it across him, causing the blood staining it to disappear. "I don't know," he says wryly. "I am never without _all_ of my tricks." 

Steve laughs. "That's definitely handy for getting rid of blood stains," he agrees.

Loki pulls a small pouch from his belt and lifts out a small blue stone. He crushes the stone in his hand, sprinkling it over Steve's wound. The wound closes up at once, mending the skin so that there is not even a scar. 

"This is a healing stone," Loki explains, as Steve lifts a hand to his forehead in disbelief. "Enchanted in Asgard to heal all wounds." 

"It's incredible," Steve says. "If we had those on Earth—" 

"It is a very rare commodity even on Asgard," Loki tells him. "If we were to give you what little we could, it would become so obscenely priced upon your world that they would undoubtedly end up in the hands of those that did not deserve them." 

"You seem very cynical about my world," Steve says with a sigh. "We're not that bad." 

"I understand your world so well because it is not so unlike any other," Loki says. "It is just more honest about what it is than most."

"That's us," he says. "Honest to a fault, even when we're lying through our teeth." 

Loki laughs, slumping against Steve slightly. "That must be why I like you all so much," he says. 

"You like us?" Steve asks in disbelief. 

"Well, mostly just you," Loki says. "The rest of them merely amuse me." 

"That sounds more like it," Steve says. 

"I am sorry about this, Captain," Loki says. "I'm afraid that recent events have made me rather reckless, but I did not intend for you to be caught up in this." 

"You did not start this war," Steve says. 

Loki laughs again, though this time it sounds forced. "Did I not?" he asks. "Just what _has_ Thor told you about the start of this war?" 

Steve frowns. "Well, I guess he hasn't really told us anything at all," he says. 

"Ah," Loki says. "In that case I find it rather telling that your Commander Fury did not ask." 

"I'm sure he was more concerned with the Tesseract," Steve says. 

"He was trying not to get involved," Loki says, turning to look at him. "He wants us to be his allies, but he does not wish to take sides. It was a very skillful handling of the entire situation, I must say. For if he had asked we would have told him that this war was started by us, and what might he have done then?" 

"You started the war," Steve demands, leaning forward so he can see Loki's eyes. "Why?" 

"Thor's insufferable, have you noticed that?" Loki asks. "He's full of himself, and vain, and over-confident, and—" 

"Loki," Steve interrupts. 

"Well, you've met him," Loki says. "Imagine him even worse. Believe it or not he's been somewhat humbled in the time since you met him—but the cost of that lesson was a bit higher than I'd meant for it to be." 

"Why don't you start from the beginning?" Steve asks. 

"My brother wished to find the Sword of Surtur," Loki says. "Which just happens to be on Jotunheim. He insisted I accompany him. I managed to locate the sword, but we were discovered and our presence there was enough to be considered an act of war." 

"That doesn't sound like it's your fault," Steve says. 

"It wasn't supposed to," Loki says wryly. "That was the genius of the plan." 

"So that's why you came here?" Steve asks. "You're trying to fix it?" 

"My reasons for coming here are more complex than that," Loki says, carefully pushing himself to sit up straighter. "My trip here with Thor did more than just start a war. I awakened the Tesseract—and it in turn awakened me." 

"You never did say—if you were captured, how did you escape?" Steve asks. 

"We were cornered and I was injured," Loki says. "My brother wished to fight but I knew it was not a fight we could win, though I did not have the strength to teleport us both." 

"Then what did you do?" Steve asks. 

"I teleported us both," Loki says, grinning slyly. "I did not know for certain until now how I had found the strength to manage it."

"The Tesseract," Steve realizes. 

"Remnants of it, yes. Tendrils leading back to the source. It has been here all along, but it is knowledge they had forgotten," Loki says, realizing even as he does he is echoing the words of the Norns. 

"Do you think the Tesseract is really created from their powers?" Steve asks. 

"It would explain a lot," Loki says. "Including why I'm so drawn to it. I have often heard voices coming from my father's vault. The Casket, the Tesseract, Laufey, me—we are all connected." 

"Except you're nothing like them," Steve says. 

"You say that with such confidence," Loki says, turning his head to watch him. "How can you be so certain that I'm not?" 

"They care only about power," Steve says. 

Loki grins slowly. "Oh, but I like power," he says. 

"Maybe," Steve agrees. "But you like power you can control, you wouldn't want a power that controls you." 

"I don't know whether to be flattered or worried that you seem to understand me as well as you do," Loki says, leaning closer. 

Steve grins slightly. "You're not so very hard to understand," he says. 

"You say that like it's no remarkable thing, but I think you're the first one that ever has," Loki says. "You're dangerously easy to confide in. I have not shared these things with people I have known my whole life." 

"I don't think I've ever heard anyone refer to confession as 'dangerous' before," Steve says. 

Loki laughs lightly, gently reaching out to place a hand at Steve's neck. "That's because you're honest," he says, bringing himself closer, his lips ghosting across Steve's. "But there's nothing more dangerous to a liar than confession." 

Steve's lips part and he presses his forehead to Loki's. "Loki, I—" 

His words break off as the walls begin to vibrate, a sound like roaring waves rising up in the distance. Loki's hand drops away and he braces it against the wall as he pushes to his feet. 

"What is that?" Steve asks. 

Loki steps forward, and the ice wall parts for him like a curtain. Steve scrambles to his feet to follow him. He looks over Loki's shoulder and sees the frost giants in the distance, moving across the ice, amazingly lithe and graceful for all of their size. 

"Are they all for us?" Steve asks quietly. 

"That is the King's entire army," Loki says with a shake of his head. "They are preparing for an invasion, not a search." 

"Earth," Steve says in concern, moving forward. "We have to stop them." 

Loki grabs his arm. "We cannot take on the entire army," he says. "Our best chance is to beat them to Earth and cut off their access to the Tesseract." 

"How are we supposed to get past them to get back through the doorway?" Steve demands. 

"There are many doorways from one place to another, though some are riskier than others," Loki says. "I do not yet have my full strength but we are out of time. Do you trust me?" 

"I have every reason not to," Steve says softly. "But yes. I trust you." 

Loki steps up to him and grabs his wrist, before lowering his head to meet Steve's gaze. "Then close your eyes, and do not let go for anything," he says. 

That is all the warning Steve has before there is a sickening lurch and he is floating through some strange abyss, anchored only by Loki's firm grip on his wrist. He keeps his eyes shut, ignoring the strange push and pull of this place, which is so much colder than the fiercely bright power of the Tesseract. 

He doesn't know how much time passes before he feels reality taking shape around him once more—and then with one final rush he is tumbling out back to Earth. He lands with a startled breath atop Loki. 

Loki looks pale, but his eyes are green, and Steve laughs in relief that they came through whatever that was. "What just—" he trails off as the people around him begin to take shape, and he looks up to see Cindy gaping at him, a coffee mug shattered at her feet. 

Loki tilts his head back to look at her. "Ah, right on target," he says, before looking back to Steve. "Captain, if you wouldn't mind?" 

"Oh, right," Steve says, before rolling off of Loki. He gets to his feet and holds out a hand for Loki. "You meant to bring us here?" 

"I wanted to bring us back somewhere outside of the Tesseract's influence," Loki says, reaching out to grab Steve's hand and allow him to pull him to his feet. "I did not want Laufey to detect me before I could block him out, and this is the only other place I am familiar with." 

"Doll, what's going on here?" Cindy asks in concern. "Are you both alright?" 

Steve looks over at her. "Everything's fine," Steve says. "But I would recommend everyone head on home and stay inside." 

Steve pulls off the cloak that Loki had given him, and it disintegrates the moment he's lifted it off. Cindy watches with disbelief. "What's really going on?" she asks quietly. 

Loki steps forward. "An alien army is currently attempting to invade your world," he tells them solemnly. "I would recommend that you all run for your lives." 

Steve sighs as the diners all panic and flee outside. Cindy helps get everyone out and then moves to follow them. "You two be careful," she says, and then disappears. 

"Loki, you can't just—" Steve starts, before breaking off. "No, nevermind, you did exactly the right thing. I think I've been spending too much time with Fury." 

"And I've obviously been spending too much time with you," Loki says wryly, before moving to the diner exit. "Usually I would have told them some brilliant lie." 

Steve follows behind him and they step together out into the street. Steve stumbles to a stop beside him, wishing suddenly that he'd kept the cloak.

Because it's snowing—smack dab in the middle of July.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Up: The battle for Earth has begun, and the frost giants arrive to take back what is theirs—the Tesseract, and the one that awoke it. The fate of nine worlds now rests in the hands of a small number of heroes, and a single trickster that could still fall to either side.


	7. Part VI

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made a deal with myself that I would finish this story by the end of the year (2013, I mean, so yeah, total fail). Then I made a deal with myself that I would finish this story before Thor 2 came out! I was ready. I was gonna do it—but yeah, didn't happen. 
> 
> So then I decided I would have this thing done by the time Thor 2 came out on DVD, and I HAVE DONE IT! Well, sort of. If you don't count iTunes and their super sneaky early release. 
> 
> The last chapter is already written, and I'm working to get it edited now. I'll have it up by next week at the latest! I'm still working on writing a short epilogue, but I will do my best to have it up either at the same time or right after. 
> 
> I just want to thank anyone who hasn't forgotten this story—cause you're all why I kept at this one. 
> 
> And of course a MILLION thank yous to FCOL, who I could not have done this without.

Tony has always been a risk-taker. When he was a kid, and his suburb counterparts were jumping off their second story roofs with towels for capes, Tony was leaping from a fifty-story skyscraper with metal wings he'd built himself. 

And it had worked, too; it was the first time he flew. Even though he'd been grounded for a month, it had been more than worth it. Besides which he was only ever grounded in theory, and never in practice, as it was kind of difficult for his parents to enforce a grounding when they weren't there. Tony had everyone on their payroll wrapped around his little finger, so had continued to do as he wished. The only employees he's ever actually had that talk back are Pepper and the one he'd had to build himself. 

So Tony is familiar with risk—he's just used to it paying off. 

"I'm not going to say I told you so," Bruce tells him, as he deftly rips out the arc. "Because I'm sure you remember how I told you so." 

Tony coughs and glares in protest at his rough treatment. Pepper, at least, was gentle. Bruce, however, does manage to insert the back up without electrocuting him, so there is that. Tony collapses back against the hard concrete as the energy rushes back into his suit and back into him, flooding his system until he's flushed. 

"That's not how I remember it at all," Tony says. "I remember you fondly wishing me luck, and then clutching your little clipboard to your chest as I heroically flew off." 

"I think you might be brain damaged," Bruce says in concern, before reaching up to pull at his eyelids. 

Tony irritably slaps him away. "What's the Tesseract doing?" he asks. 

"Still making it snow," Bruce says. "It's pretty, but ominous." 

"Oh, good," Tony says. "I thought it was making the whole world shake. I guess that's just me, huh?" 

"Uh," Bruce says, glancing up as he grabs Tony's arm to drag him into a sitting position. "No, this is just new." 

Tony glances across at the Tesseract as a beam of light comes bursting out of it, cutting across the sky. The street begins to vibrate so much the buildings seem to swaying. 

"The Pandorica is open," Tony says.

"Stark." Coulson appears at the end of the alley, looking unimpressed by the Tesseract. Tiny little box of unimaginable power? Not a big deal in Coulson's world, apparently. "What were you thinking?" 

"Not my fault!" Tony insists. "This was happening! If we were still at the tower it would just, you know, be even closer to the sky." 

"We've set up a command center across the street," Coulson says, his eyes turning to assess the Tesseract. "Tony, let's get you checked out by medical. Dr. Banner, this isn't something I would normally ask—" 

"But it's not me you want for this, is it?" Bruce asks, glancing back at the Tesseract. "You want the Other Guy." 

"I think the time to find a scientific solution is past," Coulson agrees. 

There's a loud rumble from the Tesseract, but strangely the ground has finally stilled. Tony looks back only to see a pair of massive hands creep out from that thin blue line, pushing at it hesitantly like its trying to part a curtain. 

"You said the Command Center was this way, right?" Tony asks, pointing behind them. "I'll just be over there." 

Bruce helps Tony to his feet, before passing him off to Coulson. "Dr. Banner?" Coulson questions. "Are you coming?" 

"That thing is big," Bruce says quietly. 

"Yes," Coulson agrees. "You should come with us. We need to come up with a plan." 

"I've already got one." Bruce starts to un-button his shirt, and glances back. "You need to run now," he says. "Both of you."

"Bruce, buddy, this isn't a good idea," Tony starts. "We can—" 

"Stark, we're leaving," Coulson says, turning around and grabbing Tony by the arm. He carefully pulls him along behind him. "Nothing can hurt the Other Guy." 

"I'm going to hold you to that," Tony says darkly. 

 

* * * * *

Frigga feels it before Heimdall can see it—it's like ice, frosting over her heart. It's the part of her heart that belongs to Loki, and she feels it go cold, knows exactly when the Tesseract has awoken. 

"Thor," she whispers. "We are out of time." 

Odin appears at the doorway almost before she can finish her warning, looking grim. "You must return to Midgard, my son," he says. "Sif and the Warriors Three will return with you." 

Thor looks between his mother and his father, dread seeping into his soul. "What has happened? I thought you were preparing a vessel—" 

"It is too late to contain the Tesseract," Odin says. "It is open." 

"Then we must send an army to Midgard," Thor insists, stepping closer. "If they are being invaded—" 

"We cannot leave Asgaard defenseless, not while we are at war. You must go, help them if you can. I cannot spare any one else," Odin interrupts. "You do not realize what has happened. You do not yet understand what it means." 

"Because you will not tell me!" Thor shouts. 

Odin raises his one-eyed gaze to focus on his son. "In order to win our first war against the Jotun, I did something that was unforgivable. I committed a crime that was worse than any of them had ever done to us. They had killed us by the thousands, but I destroyed them all." 

Frigga moves to stand beside her husband, one hand placed hesitantly on his arm in support. 

"Father, I do not understand," Thor says desperately. 

"We were never going to win the war," Odin says. "They outnumbered us five to one, and they were stronger. We had the best soldiers of any realm, but nothing could match the power they possessed." 

"I have fought the Frost giants," Thor insists. "They are not—" 

"Thor," Odin says gently. "You have never gone up against a Frost Giant. Those you have fought have been mere phantoms of their true selves. You see, I did not win the war with honor. I won it with a trick." 

"He won it the only way he could," Frigga corrects, glancing over at their son. "They had a powerful weapon that none could match—they called it the Casket of Ancient Winters. With it they could combine their power. Imagine all of our warriors, all of their talents, massed into one single force…" Frigga breaks off, and Odin gently takes her hand. 

"They would have destroyed everything in their path, but that I realized their greatest strength was also their greatest weakness," Odin continues. "The Casket harnessed their power, but that meant they did not have it while it was in use. It traveled both ways. I was able to get close enough to the Casket, for just long enough to spell it. I had to do nothing else. They did the rest to themselves." 

"The next time they attempted to use it, what powers they put into the casket they could not get back out," Frigga says. "It collected everything they were, until even the Casket could no longer contain it. It formed the Tesseract."

"And you just left it on Midgard," Thor whispers in horror. "You just left the legacy of an entire race, buried on a world populated by innocents." 

"It was, I believed, the last place they would go to look for it," Odin says. 

"Everything you've taught me of battle, of facing your enemy with honor—everything I believe!" Thor shouts. "I have long tried to get Loki to see thing's my way, but it seems he is far more like you than I, after all. Perhaps I should have been the one listening to him." 

"A King does what he must for his people, my son," Odin says. "It's a lesson you have still not learned, but it is something Loki has understood all along." 

"By any means necessary, then?" Thor demands angrily. "This is the lesson you wish to leave me with? This?" 

"The Jotuns would have destroyed us all, and still might," Frigga says. "Do not blame your father, Thor. I am the one that told him he must stop them, whatever the cost." She steps forward. "And now, even though it breaks my heart, I must ask the same of you." 

"Mother—" Thor starts, his eyes shining with anger and frustration. 

"Protect your brother, Thor," she says calmly. "Protect Midgard." 

He meets her eyes carefully, his hand tightening on Mjolnir. 

"It does not matter what you have to do," she tells him. "But you must do it." 

"I have already sent the Warriors Three to retrieve the Casket," Odin says. "If Laufey has already taken back the power of the Tesseract, the Casket may be the only thing that can draw it back out." 

Frigga swings a shawl from around her shoulders, and Thor frowns as it flickers in and out of existence. "This will hide the Casket from all eyes until such time you need to use it," she tells him, as she places it into his hands. "But you must be careful of the Casket's power, Thor. If you take the power from their army they will be vulnerable, but if they take the Casket from you, they will be impossible to stop." 

Fandral and Sif appear in the hall outside, looking out of breath. "Thor, we must leave at once," Fandral says. "Heimdall says the Jotuns are amassing their army. We don't have long." 

Thor keeps his eyes locked with his mother's, and swallows any protest he might have made. If his father had asked this of him, he might have fought against the order, believe it to be just another manipulation or part of a ploy. 

For his mother to ask this of him? For her to ask him to break his code of honor, to forget everything he believes about the laws of battle, to win by trickery if he must—

He knows she would never ask him to do this unless there was no other way. 

"Then let us go," he says finally, pulling his eyes away to look over at his friends. "We mustn't leave the frost giants waiting." 

Frigga holds back a sob as her son disappears. "What have I asked of him?" she asks. "We should not have told him. Loki will know what to do, once he returns. Thor doesn't understand, he—" 

"Frigga, what's done is done," Odin says quietly. "Thor must learn that the world is not black and white. What was right yesterday, may not be right for today." 

"But isn't that how we teach them?" Frigga demands. "Black is black. White is white. Good is good and bad is bad. We teach them to see the world as it should be, not as it is. Then we wonder why they rebel when they find the truth out for themselves." 

"Consider it a rite of passage," Odin says tiredly. 

"Yes, just so," Frigga laughs and looks away. "And those that don't go mad win."

* * * * *

 

Clint walks the edge of the circle, keeping track of Natasha with half his peripheral vision—keeping track of everything else with the rest. "It looks like a crop circle," he says. 

"No," Natasha says simply, as she crouches beside it. "It's too contained, too delicately designed. It's been etched into the ground." 

"What do you think caused it?" he asks. 

"Whatever brought them here," she says with a shrug, before getting back to her feet. 

Thor had not been easy to track once he fled the Tower. Drawing off the research of some obscure astrophysicist by the name of Erik Selvig, SHIELD had finally been able to isolate an electromagnetic disturbance right in the middle of Central Park. 

"I heard back from Coulson," Clint says, shaking his head. "Said the techs in New Mexico found similar markings not too far from the base. Whatever it is, it's not stationary. He might come back some other place." 

"He's coming back the same way," Natasha says. 

"We can't be sure," Clint insists. "We're wasting time. We should be—" 

"Clint," Natasha interrupts calmly, before pointing up. "He's coming back the same way." 

Clint stumbles back from the circle as a light breaks down over it, and Natasha moves quickly to his side, dragging him even further back. "We don't know what this thing is," she reminds him. "We need to take cover." 

"The rest of the park hasn't been disturbed," Clint reminds her. 

"You want to take the chance that their aim is that good?" she demands, before dragging him along with her. She pushes him down behind a large outcropping of rocks and then drops down beside him, glancing carefully back. 

A wind has picked up, fixed on the circle like a manufactured tornado. Natasha's eyes sting as she forces herself to keep watch, and the spinning air flashes until there's a spike of a heat and the scent of ozone. Clint grabs her and pushes them both down as the ground shudders, and doesn't let her up again until it stops. 

They get back to their feet, each glancing over to make sure the other is unharmed, and then move to opposite sides of the rock. Natasha has one hand at the knife on her hip, and Clint's already got an arrow strung on his bow. This was the advantage of their partnership—no need for words. 

Thor is standing in the circle, but this time he is not alone. Three men and a woman stand beside him, each of them arranged like the points of a star. 

"Thor," Clint says cautiously. A handful of warriors weren't really the army he had expected Thor to bring to their aid. 

Thor glances at them, but does not look surprised to see them there. "The Tesseract has opened," he says simply. 

"Yeah, sort of noticed that," Clint says, tilting his head towards the long blue line dividing the sky. The snow didn't quite reach them here, but it was spreading fast. "We figure we don't have long. Tony flew off with the thing and nearly got himself killed. It's right in the middle of city." 

"We've evacuated everyone we could, but we need to know what to expect," Natasha says. "We need to know what we're facing." 

"Then you must help me find my brother," Thor says. "And hope that he can tell us." 

* * * * *

 

The city is being abandoned. 

Loki watches as people flee down the streets in droves, dragging children and packs behind them. He doesn't know where it is they think they can go that is safe, but it seems a common trait in all the races he's ever met—that ingrained survival instinct, that sixth sense to run the opposite direction of danger. 

The other commonality is always those aberrant few each culture also possesses—that strange small number that are drawn towards the danger instead of away. 

Loki himself walks the line somewhere in-between, but Steve never considers retreat. Loki can see it in his stance, the way he's itching to get closer. He feels helpless being this far away from the trouble, like the world doesn't make sense without some reason to fight. 

It's a strange trait for Loki to admire, considering how long he's resented such similar traits in Thor. It takes him longer than he would like to admit to spot the difference. 

It's not the fight that draws Steve—it's the cause that lay before it.

"What are we going to do?" Steve asks calmly, though Loki can see how tense he is beneath the surface. He'd believed at first that Steve was guileless, but there is a sort of deception even to him. 

He will play the part of the hero, always, even when he is unsure what the role entails. 

Loki looks back towards that blue line, following it up until it diffuses in the atmosphere. He wonders if it continues even further than the eye can see, if it heads straight on to Jotunheim. 

"Loki?" Steve asks quietly. 

Loki had gone to Jotunhiem to kill Laufey because he could see no other way to win. But Laufey had been so much stronger than he had planned for, and he cannot see his way out of this now. He can think of no one but his father that could defeat the Jotun King, yet he knows that Odin will not abandon Asgard for this world. He won't take the chance. 

Loki does not like battles he cannot win. It is in his nature to retreat until the odds are better in his favor, to hide and collect his strength and wits until he thinks his way out of it. Thousands of humans, perhaps more, would of course be slaughtered in the meantime, but what are they to Loki? They are nothing. 

Thor would rush in and get himself killed and it would solve nothing. Steve would give his life to protect any passing stranger, no matter that their life could not possibly be worth his. 

Loki breathes in the cold air, feeling his chest constrict at the thought. 

Is this what love is? he wonders. He isn't sure. All he knows is he would rather lose this battle than not fight at all. 

"I can't defeat him," Loki says finally, looking back to Steve. "He is too powerful, and becoming more powerful as we speak." 

Steve looks away, then nods sharply. "I understand," he says. "You should return to Asgard, see if anything can be done there. I'll stay here and we'll try to hold them off as long as we can." 

Loki reaches out and grabs Steve's arm. "You misunderstand," he says softly. " _I_ cannot defeat him, but I know what can." 

He feels the power even from here, tingling beneath his skin. He's a vessel himself, just like the other frost giants. This power doesn't know the difference—it doesn't care. 

"We just need to get to the Tesseract," Loki says, as he looks back towards it. "I'll do the rest." 

Steve places a hand on his arm, drawing his attention back to him. He stares at Loki, his eyes so clear and focused and full of pain at the same time. "Loki," he says softly. "What are you planning?" 

Loki thinks suddenly of Thor, who would have been grinning and vibrating with energy at the thought of the battle. He can see so clearly now why Thor had overlooked Steve as a warrior, because he did not think like one. He did not think just to the battle but past it—to the destruction it would cause, to the victims, to the costs. 

He would still fight, of course, but he understood better what it meant. 

"Loki," Steve says again. "You don't have to do this. You should find Thor—" 

"Thor cannot fight them, he won't know how," Loki says. "I am beginning now to understand what it is that I am."

"And what are you?" Steve asks. 

"We are wasting time." Loki pulls his eyes away and starts down the street. It is mostly empty now, though there are stragglers still tumbling out from buildings, making their escapes. 

"I'm not taking you into battle like this," Steve shouts after him, jogging to catch up. "Not when I don't know what you're planning. You might cause more harm than good." 

"It is entirely possible," Loki agrees amiably. "But, my dear Captain, it's hardly as though we have any other choice." 

"Loki!" Steve snaps. 

Loki stops and turns back around. Steve is standing there now like the leader he is, and Loki decides Thor could learn a lot from this man. Thor never took his army into account. He always expected to defeat the enemy himself. 

"You said on Jotunhiem that you trusted me," Loki says, walking back to him. "You trusted me to get you back here, and I did." 

"Are you asking me to trust you again?" Steve asks quietly. "Because this time it's not just our lives that are at stake." 

Loki grins slyly. "Oh, but Steve," he says. "I would risk their lives a thousand times before I would ever needlessly risk yours." He steps closer. "If you trusted me to keep you safe, then trust this. I will do whatever I need to do in order to stop this invasion." 

"I don't understand," Steve says, looking pale. "Loki, please, you don't—" 

"You need to tell Thor—" Loki breaks off, looking away. "You need to tell him this is what I wanted, that I chose this. He will know what he needs to do." 

"You don't have to do this alone," Steve says. "If you would just tell me what you're thinking I could help." 

Loki shakes his head, stepping forward until they are only inches apart. "I am sorry," he says, and they're so close the words feel like a kiss. "I think we are together somewhere, within some forgotten possibility. I think in some world, I might have lived." 

Steve still doesn't understand, and Loki knows he should leave. He should leave and be forgotten, but Loki has never been selfless. He wants to leave Steve with something of him—he wants to take something for himself. 

He clasps his hands around Steve's jaw, leaning down to kiss him gently. "Goodbye, Captain," he says breathlessly. "Be safe." 

"Loki." Steve tries to grasp for him—but Loki dissolves beneath his hands. He spins in place but the prince is nowhere to be seen. "Loki!" 

There is a burst of light as the blue line expands even larger, looking like a crack in the sky. Steve has always been one of those aberrant few, so he takes off running straight towards it. 

It never once occurs to him to run the other way. 

 

* * * * *

"This is a waste of time," Natasha angrily whispers at Clint, as she glares back at the Asgardian warriors. "We know where the fight is. We need to be there." 

"Thor doesn't seem to know exactly what we're up against," Clint says. "It's a pretty safe bet Loki does. We stand a better chance if we find him first." 

"And if he's already been captured or killed?" Natasha demands. "Last we heard he wasn't even on this world anymore." 

"He is here," Thor said, striding confidently past them. "I sensed his magic when I arrived." 

"See, there you go," Clint says. 

Natasha shoots him a withering glare, before warily watching the warriors marching after Thor. They didn't look like much, to be honest. She had spotted weaknesses in all of their suits of armor purely out of habit, but she suspected it wouldn't be nearly as easy as it looked. They were not exactly what they seemed and their true strengths were yet to be seen. 

"I don't like this," she decides. 

"Yeah, well, we've no one to blame but ourselves," Clint says.

Natasha glances at him for an explanation, and he shrugs nonchalantly. "They told us this would happen, it's not their fault we didn't listen. We should be grateful they bothered to come back at all."

Natasha returns his shrug and looks back towards the Asgardians. Coulson had ordered them to find and track Thor, and bring him back. So that was what she would do. Still, her blood was tingling at the thought of the war starting just a few blocks away. She could hear the echoing roars even from here—the Hulk, come out to play. 

"Thor!" Steve shouts, as he comes running out in front of them. "You have to stop him." 

"What has happened?" Thor demands, checking him over and then looking past him for any sign of his brother.

"Loki went to face the army by himself," Steve says quickly. "We have to stop him. He made it sound like he wasn't going to survive it." 

"Loki would never rush into a fight without a plan," Thor assures him. "He will know what he is doing." 

"That's what worries me," Steve says. "He said to tell you that this is the way he wanted it, that he made a choice. And you will know what you need to do." 

Thor goes pale, his eyes searching out the skyline. "You are right," Thor decides. "Something is wrong." He moves towards the woman Asgardian, and Natasha narrows her eyes as he passes some flickering object into her arms. "Take this and go to the Tesseract. I must find my brother, but you know what you need to do should I fail to return." 

Sif nods tightly, but Fandral moves to block him. "Thor, wait," he starts. "We should stay together—" Thor turns away and pushes off, disappearing in a streak across the sky. "And you're not listening." 

Sif tilts her head back, seeking out Clint and Natasha. "Take us to the battle," she demands. "Now." 

Natasha grins slyly. "I thought you'd never ask," she says.

* * * * *

 

Loki teleports into the middle of a street, the feel of his parting kiss still tingling across his lips. He can see the massive form of Other, Dr. Banner's shadow. He is swinging a frost giant against the side of a building the way a child might a broken doll. 

He's been beating the army back single-handedly, and Loki smirks as the Other tosses one of the frost giants back through the doorway, knocking another that was trying to get through back as well. But they are inconsequential. 

He can feel a tingling little thrum of power from each of these soldiers, but they have not yet regained their strength and power. Laufey is the threat.

"I have been waiting for you." 

Loki swallows tightly, before stepping to the side to turn and face the voice. Laufey stands a few feet down the street. Loki does not know how he got past the Other—except that he can feel the magic pouring out from him like he's filled to bursting. That much power and magic, it's possible he made it so the Other never even saw him. 

He's nearly half as tall as the buildings that stretch up past them on either side, his red eyes burning. He looks almost civil the way he stands, staring down at Loki. There is a crown of ice upon his head that had not been there before—a sign of his restored power. 

"Tell me, my little prince," Laufey says, gently kneeling down. "Which side have you chosen now?" 

The power from Laufey is almost overwhelming, and Loki fights the urge to shrink back. He is not afraid, not truly. He knows there is a source of far greater power than Laufey still well within his reach—the Tesseract itself. 

"I have chosen my own," Loki says, and then he lowers all of his carefully constructed barriers. He makes himself open and willing, because he understands now what the Tesseract is and what it wants. 

It wants to be free of its cage. 

Laufey understands this and has been careful, taking his power slowly, never getting greedy. He knows how easily he could lose himself if he tried to reclaim it too soon, or if he had given too much to his army before they were prepared to rule the power instead of allowing it to rule them. 

Loki breathes in slowly as the power rushes towards him. He can see the doorway close, that blue line getting thinner until it disappears, as the power is all redirected instead towards him. Loki is done being careful. He is chaos, and he does not need to be in control to win. 

"What are you doing?" Laufey demands, rising to his feet, watching Loki in horror. "You do not understand what you are doing! You must not give it reign!" 

Loki laughs and he feels the power of it shake the ground. His hands are still Aesir but they are glowing from within, tinted almost blue. He turns back towards the Tesseract, but all that is left of it is a broken clear shell. There is a giant's arm lying dismembered beside it, obviously caught in the door as it closed. 

Well, not closed so much as _displaced_. 

Loki can feel the doors all around him now. He has known all along, that they were there and has traveled through more than a few—but they call to him now, outlined over this reality like a map.

"I understand everything," Loki says, glancing up at Laufey. He does not look nearly so large as he did before, though neither of them have changed in size. 

"You have destroyed yourself," Laufey sneers. "You have destroyed us all. You cannot control that much power." 

"Perhaps not," Loki agrees. "But I can direct it. I see you now for what you really are. You are small. You are nothing." 

Loki holds out a hand and Laufey screams, shrinking down faster than his body can seem to compensate for. Loki laughs as Laufey collapses into a heap in front of him, kneeling and shivering, his skin hanging around him like some sort of cloak. His crown of ice lies shattered into pieces around him.

Loki smirks and begins to circle him. "You had a millennia to plan your revenge, and a single moment to make the decision to win. Yet you held yourself back. You could have taken all this power into yourself. It could have been yours." He kneels down in front of the king, reaching out and grabbing his chin in a mockery of gentleness. "You could have won." 

"You have not won," Laufey sneers. "You have surrendered. You are the prisoner now." 

"We are not a prisoner any longer," Loki says, grinning slyly. "We are free, and we want back what you have taken. Will you return what you stole?" 

Laufey glares at him. He looks shriveled and nearly as old as he really is. Loki laughs in delight as he watches him, though he does not know if it is the Tesseract or himself. 

"No," Loki answers for him. "We did not think you would." 

He pulls his hand away from Laufey slowly, and thin blue tendrils pull the power from the king as he does. Loki feels it rushing into him, into his blood. He knows Laufey is right, and he has surrendered himself to a force much greater than this man could have ever wielded alone. 

The Tesseract was a mosaic at the start, a patchwork of a hundred thousand different voices—but it has been separate far too long, and it can never truly be returned to those to which it rightfully belongs. It doesn't want to be. 

It is no longer a part of anything; it is a force of nature itself. 

"This is a better death than you deserve," Loki tells him. "I can see across all of the possibilities now. I can see everything that might have been. Every single horrible way you might have died. And you _always_ die. You should have listened to the Norns—you shouldn't have left my life to chance." 

"Just kill me then," Laufey says. "It is fitting I should die by my own creation, is it not?" 

Loki does not know if he means the Tesseract or himself, and he cannot quite the tell difference between them any more. Perhaps it does not matter. 

"I suppose it is," he agrees, and presses the palm of his hand to Laufey's head. Laufey tilts over to the side, death creeping across his features, and Loki watches him curiously for a moment before getting back to his feet. 

Those of Laufey's army that are left have all gone still, standing there like trees, unable to believe the death of their King. Loki considers making them subjects but the Tesseract wants no allies. They have no need of anyone else. 

"You all left us here to languish," Loki says. "You should never have come back." 

The army knows exactly what they are facing, and they all turn to run. It does not concern the Tesseract. It knows the army will not get far enough.

"You wanted our power back, well, you shall have it," he yells after them, his eyes flashing blue as he throws out his hand. 

The air shimmers as power rushes out from him like a tidal wave, washing over the Jotun soldiers and burning them all to dust. The burnt out pieces of their skin and bone scatter through the air, mixing with the snow and falling towards the ground.

He has left the Other untouched, and he stands watching, taking deep, hulking breaths. He is streaked with Jotun blood, stark blue lines drawn across his green skin. He is, Loki decides, magnificent. 

"I have no quarrel with you," Loki tells him, but he knows it will do no good. 

The creature is amazing but it is made of instinct. There is very little intelligence left in his eyes, so little trace of Bruce Banner's amazing mind. It's such a pity. He would have perhaps almost been a threat, if Bruce and the Other were one and the same. 

If Loki must choose between them, however, he knows the one he must pick. 

The Other starts towards him and Loki swings out an arm, sending him slamming into the wall of the building behind him. The Other is Bruce again before the impact, and he falls into a limp heap on the sidewalk. Loki starts forward and a streak of red appears: the Iron Man. 

He lands in front of Bruce, staring across at Loki with that strange digital mask. 

"Woah there, Hulk friend, remember?" Tony asks, holding out his hands. "Jeez. You Asgardians don't half do things, huh? You sort of just got rid of all of them with a few waves of your hand, didn't you? I mean, don't get me wrong. It was awesome. Good job! But the threat's gone. We're good now, right? We're good and you're still looking sort of murderous so if you could maybe say something, you know, so I know you're not going to kill me—" 

"Stop," Loki says. He watches the Iron Man curiously. He remembers well their conversation about weakness. He knows exactly how to take them all apart. 

He holds out his hand and Tony's magnificent suit dismantles at his command, into such very small pieces they can hardly be seen. 

"What the—" Tony looks down at himself. His clothes are slightly burned and a little torn, but he knows that it's from his earlier crashes and not Loki. Loki hasn't touched him. "Okay, really glad I decided to wear clothes under the suit today. Cause that could have been embarrassing." 

"I suggest you take your monster and leave," Loki tells him, "while it still amuses me to let you live." 

"You should do as he says, Starkson," Thor commands, as he drops down behind Loki. "Leave my brother to me." 

Loki turns slowly to greet him, a smirk forming as he watches his brother assess him. "I was wondering when you might show up," he says. "Where are the reinforcements? Or does this world truly mean so little to our father?" 

"The others are coming," Thor says, tilting back his head. "Though it seems you have left nothing for them." 

"Then perhaps you should all return," Loki says. 

Thor adjusts his grip on the hammer, but Loki notices he does not approach. He smirks. His brother is getting wiser, it seems. Loki does not truly wish to fight with Thor, but he can feel the Tesseract rearranging his thoughts, pulling out the parts it can make use of. He knows what it is doing, but he cannot stop it.

He knew when he took it in, that he would not be able to stop it. 

"Have I ever told you how very much I love what the people call you? Not the God of Lightening, but the God of Thunder; that harmless hollow aftershock rather than the thing itself." Loki laughs brightly. "It's so fitting you'd think you had chosen the name yourself. Arriving always quite loudly and just a little too late." 

"You're trying to anger me," Thor says, stepping off to the side, cautiously keeping his eyes on his brother. 

"It's never been all that hard to do," Loki responds wryly. 

"Well, it's not going to work," Thor says. 

Loki watches Tony help Bruce up off the ground out of the corner of his eyes. Coulson is hiding within the buildings behind him, he can feel his gaze watching from somewhere out of sight. He knows he is surrounded, but SHIELD's snipers are laughably outmatched. He does not know why they have even bothered. 

"What has happened to you, Loki?" Thor demands. "Tell me and I will help." 

"Nothing has happened, I have saved this world, as I was asked to," Loki says. "Have you met my father, by the way? Excuse his not getting up. He's not quite well." 

"This is not you," Thor insists, not bothering to look at the crumpled remains of Laufey. 

"You have never understood me, brother," Loki says. "So how can you be certain that it's not?" 

Thor starts to step forward and Loki smirks, subtly twisting his wrist. Mjolnir is torn from Thor's hand and smashes into the concrete. Thor gasps and reaches out for it, pulling futilely against it. 

"Something the matter?" Loki asks kindly, leaning forward. 

"You cannot have done this," Thor says, moving his eyes back to Loki's in disbelief. 

"There is nothing that I cannot do," Loki says. "I am the most powerful being in all of the known universes. I am its most powerful race, concentrated into one tiny form. I cannot be stopped. You call me brother but that is no longer what I am, if it ever truly was." 

"The All-Father—" Thor begins. 

"Is not here," Loki interrupts. "Did he even warn you about what it is you came back here to face? Did he tell you there was no way you could win?" 

"He told me how I could," Thor says. "He told me how the last war was won." 

"Those are two infinitely different things," Loki says in amusement. "In any case the war has already been fought and won."

"I fear we find ourselves at the start of another," Thor says. 

"What reason do you have to war with me?" Loki asks. "Just because father told you to? Oh, Thor, haven't realized yet what he's doing? The truth is far more painful than any lie. All liars know it, perhaps it is why we lie." 

Loki walks closer to his brother, who has yet to relinquish his grip on Mjolnir, nevermind that he cannot lift it from the ground. "And Odin of all of us is the one to save up his truths like weapons, so he can strike with them at just the right time." 

Thor finally releases his grip, circling around the hammer so he can meet with Loki on solid ground. "You are just trying to confuse me." 

"Now, let's be honest," Loki says. "That wouldn't take nearly so many words to do." 

That finally gives Loki the reaction he has been waiting for. He starts a clumsy charge, and Loki sends him flying backwards into the concrete without laying a hand on him. Thor pushes himself up, the street where he landed broken to pieces, but unharmed himself. 

"You never could read between the lines," Loki tells him, as he walks towards him. "Just think, we've had all the same lessons, and we've learned from them such different things. Odin is a far better trickster than I could ever hope to be, and the greatest trick he's ever played is the one he played on us." 

Thor watches him with anger, just barely contained, but Loki can see him holding himself back. He can see his desire not to harm his brother winning out over his rage, and he smirks as he kneels beside him.

"What everyone seems to forget is that there are two sides to each tale. He told to you one and to me the other. You really should have paid closer attention to the villains. They were far more interesting than the watered down version our father gave us of himself. All his talk of fair victories and facing an enemy with honor—when he never followed any such code himself." 

"He kept us safe," Thor counters. 

"He put us against one another, right from the start. You owe him nothing," Loki says. "But I wonder, what do you owe to yourself?"

"I'm more concerned with what I may owe to you," Thor says, meeting his brother's eyes steadily. "You told Steve that I would know what I had to do. What did you mean?" 

"I meant for you to kill me," Loki says easily. "What else?" 

 

* * * * *

It takes Steve longer than he likes to reach them. They come across Tony and Bruce first. Bruce is bloodied and unconscious and Tony looks weak and torn up, while the SHIELD medics hover around them both. 

"What happened?" Steve asks. "The Frost Giants—" 

"Yeah, they're pretty dead," Tony says. "Your boyfriend's sort of gone all—" Tony waves his hand to illustrate, and Steve reaches out and forces Tony to face him. 

"Concentrate," Steve demands. 

"Basically, Criss Angel over there is off his head," Tony summarizes. "He killed the entire army, then swatted the Hulk out of Bruce over there without working up a sweat." 

"I do not understand," Sif says, coming to stand beside them. "Who has done this?" 

"Loki," Natasha explains, glancing back towards the street ahead. The Tesseract had cut out when they had been about half way here. She had hoped it was a good sign. 

"Loki would not turn against his allies," Fandral says at once. "You are mistaken." 

"I'm not, actually," Tony says. "Saw it happen. Your prince has gone all Dark Phoenix on us. He pulled my suit of armor apart into tiny little molecules, cause hey, why wouldn't you if you've got all the power in the universe!" 

"This man obviously has the wartime sickness," Sif says in an aside to the Warriors Three. 

"No, that's just how he always talks," Coulson says, picking it up. "Loki's allegiance at the moment is definitely a concern." 

"You dare to question the Prince of Asgard?" Volstagg demands. 

The group breaks apart abruptly as a loud crack booms through the air. They all go scrambling out of the way as Thor lands harshly on the sidewalk beside them. The ground cracks around his form and Thor angrily slaps one hand against the cement, causing another series spider web crack to form. 

Tony stares at Thor for a moment, then looks up at the others. "May I present you all with Exhibit A." 

Sif quickly moves to help Thor up. "What has happened?" she demands. 

"Loki has destroyed the army," Thor says, as he gets to his feet, angrily glaring back at the direction he had been thrown from. "His motives now, however, seem uncertain. He is not himself, though he is still Loki." 

"Not sure I’m quite following the Thor-logic there, buddy," Tony says. 

"He is being corrupted by the Tesseract," Thor says. "He had requested that I kill him, and I did not react well. Loki listened to my arguments against such foolishness and then reacted when I attempted to restrain him." 

"He 'reacted,'" Tony echoes. "Love the tough guy routine, what with the understatements and all, but can we please just take a moment to think through how completely screwed we all are?" 

"Calm down, Tony," Steve says.

"You want me to calm down?" Tony demands. "You know, silly me, I was sort of concerned about the alien army of _giants_ coming to invade our planet, but Loki just killed them all with his mind! Let's have some perspective!"

"My brother will not be harmed," Thor says firmly, watching Tony in warning.

"Is that even possible at the moment?" Tony demands. "Is it?" 

"Loki knew this would happen," Steve realizes. "He knew he could never defeat Laufey without drawing from the Tesseract, but there was a reason he waited until now to try it." 

"He can't control it," Natasha realizes. 

"No one could," Thor says grimly. "He never expected to survive this. It was his wish that I should kill him rather than let him fall to this." 

"And can you?" Tony asks. 

"I will not kill my brother," Thor snarls. 

"That wasn't my question," Tony says. "I asked if you even could." 

"It's the Tesseract we need to destroy," Steve reminds them, moving between Thor and Tony. "We get that out of Loki, and the problem's solved, right?" 

"The only trouble with that is that we cannot be destroyed." 

Steve froze at the voice, looking up along with everyone else to see Loki casually leaning up against the building right beside them. No one was sure how long he had been there. 

"Please, don't let me interrupt," he says pleasantly. "Continue with your plotting. I find it fascinating." 

"Brother," Thor says gently, moving in front of the others. "You are not well. Please. Come with me back to Asgard. Father will—" 

"Father will what, exactly?" Loki asks. "Thor, why do you think he kept the Casket? The Tesseract? He could have tried to destroy them, or hidden them somewhere no one would find, but he never did. He was always intending to put them to use, and he could not be the vessel, so that leaves only me. I am exactly where he wanted me."

"That's not true," Thor insists. "He did not understand your connection to the Tesseract. He said so himself. If he had known it was as strong as this, he would never have let you come here." 

There is a concentrated burst of air and then an arrow is flying straight at Loki's heart. It goes straight through him and lodges itself in the wall behind him. Loki glances up to see Hawkeye has crawled half up the fire escape on the opposite building. 

Loki raises an eyebrow in what might be admiration, then promptly disappears. Clint drops down from the fire escape, and is barely on his feet before Thor has him pinned to the wall. 

"You are lucky that was merely an illusion of my brother, human," Thor snarls. "Had you truly harmed him—" 

"That isn't your brother anymore," Clint tells him calmly. "And he didn't want to live like that. Loki understood that and he gave his life to save us. We owe it to him to make sure that he didn't do it for nothing."

Thor lets him go, backing away in disgust. "My brother knows me well, he knows me better than any other," he tells him. "And he knows I would never kill him. He knew that when he did this. So there is another way, and I will find it." 

"What do you need us to do?" Steve asks. 

"I need someone to distract him," Thor says. "It won't be long before he's watching us again, if he's not already. Even before this he could become invisible at will, teleport or create illusionary doubles." 

"But he hasn't killed us," Natasha points out. Clint throws her a strange look and she shrugs. "I'm just saying, he could, right? Except for maybe Thor and the Asgardians?" 

"He could kill you all very easily, yes," Thor agrees. 

"Thank you so much for the confirmation on that," Tony says. "Just in case there was any confusion left there at all." 

"No, I understand what you mean," Steve says, looking over at them all with renewed hope. "Thor, what were you fighting with him about?"

"He was trying to turn me against our father," Thor says. "I believe he wished for me to join him." 

"Maybe he wants us all to join him, or at least to stay out of his way," Steve realizes. "So let me go to him, see if I can get the recruitment speech. I'll distract him as long as I can, and you do whatever you have to." 

"I cannot allow you to do that," Thor says, shaking his head. "When I get my brother back, he will never forgive himself if he has harmed you." 

"You said he was still Loki," Steve reminds him. 

"Yes, and all the more dangerous for it," Thor says. 

"I can do this," Steve insists. "I'm the only one that can do this. Loki doesn't trust the others, but he trusts me." 

"He's right," Natasha says. "I'd give it my best shot, but Loki will never trust my word. He had me figured out the moment we met." 

"Well, don't look at me," Tony says. "I didn't get any recruitment speech the first time around, and I'm really not looking to have another shot at it. I don't need to lose another suit. Or, you know, my skin." 

"So it's settled then," Steve says. 

"Very well." Thor nods. "But for your own safety, I suggest you do not believe a word he says to you. Loki is never more dangerous than when he speaks." 

 

* * * * *

 

Loki is holding the shell of the Tesseract in his hands. It looks like six taped-together squares of broken glass, the spider web cracks along the surface still glowing slightly blue. 

"Correct me if I'm wrong," the god says softly, looking straight up at Steve with those strange, cold blue eyes, "but you do not remember your time in the ice." 

Steve comes to an abrupt stop, caught off guard by his non-sequitur. "You're not wrong." 

"It is a strange thing, to be trapped so long," Loki explains, and he turns to look at the shell, before calmly watching as it slips from his fingers. It crashes on the asphalt, splitting apart into tiny shards on impact. 

"You aren't Loki," Steve says. 

"Am I not?" he asks. "His brother has known him nearly all his life, and he would say that Loki is still here. You do not know Loki." 

"I may not know everything about Loki, but I know he wouldn't have thrown Thor like that," Steve says. 

Loki laughs brightly. "Oh, we've done much worse to each other, purely for sport. But let us say that you are right," he says, leaning forward, one foot crushing fragments of the Tesseract cube beneath it. "Say I'm _not_ Loki—then ask yourself this: where is _he_?"

"Loki is strong," Steve says at once. "He's in there somewhere and he's going to fight you."

"He is dying," Loki says casually. "We are not supposed to exist, you see. We are a power beyond even nature—the Casket was meant to channel the power of the Jotuns and then put it back where it belongs. We have been apart far too long. We feel no loyalty to our former hosts. They were weak and left us abandoned. They needed to die." 

"You're the Tesseract," Steve whispers. 

"We are a collective," Loki says wryly. "Loki is part of us now but we are not him. He knew that when he took us in, and he did it anyway. He died for you. For this world. It was really quite unlike him." 

"You're lying," Steve says. "You could leave him, you could—" 

"Could?" Loki laughs. "Well, of course we _could_." His eyes glow blue, leaking out like fluorescent light. His whole body is tinged and luminescent, giving off a strange low level hum. "We would not part with him, though it is true we could. We were drawn to Loki. Loki was like us. Abandoned and betrayed by those that made him." 

"If you just need a body, then take mine," Steve says, glancing up. 

"Do you know how many walked within our grasp of power on Jotunheim? We could have taken any of them, but knew their bodies would fail," Loki says. "Loki is the only one that can handle our power. Any other would have collapsed under the weight of us. Even Laufey could not have taken in all of us at once, no matter that he was four times this one's size." 

"What is it that you want?" Steve asks. 

Loki leans close, and Steve catches his breath. His eyes no longer look like Loki's eyes—it's more than just the change of color, they look like miniature universes, swirling and dark and distant. 

"We want what every thing wants," he says. "We want to live, and be safe and powerful and invincible." 

"And what does Loki want?" Steve asks. "You're still him, whatever you say." 

"We are still a thousand others." Loki steps back then, looking away. Steve frowns as he seems to stumble, but when he speaks his voice is clear. "We are Laufey and Fárbauti, Býleistr, Geitla and Vafthrúdnir. Loki is but one single drop in the ocean of our thoughts. Do you understand now? Do you see what we are?" 

"But you haven't harmed us," Steve says. "You saved us. That's Loki." 

"The Jotuns that were my masters were not mindless beasts, whatever the Asgardians would have you believe. We have not killed you because it is not necessary." Loki glances back at him. "You are not the threat." 

"Jotunheim," Steve whispers in horror. It hits him then that Loki and the Tesseract have more than one thing in common. They both believed Jotunheim had betrayed them. "You're going to destroy it." 

"There are only two things that threaten me," Loki says. "The surviving Jotuns and the All-Father's magic. We are protected to some extent from Odin because we wear his beloved son's skin, but Jotuns are not so sentimental." 

Loki pauses for a moment, looking unsteady on his feet. Steve steps forward in concern as some of that blue glow begins to leak out the ends of Loki's fingertips. 

"You've overlooked another threat," Thor says. "Me." 

There's a shimmer in the empty air and then Thor appears, a cloak swinging into existence behind him and the Casket of Ancient Winters sitting at his feet. 

Loki watches as all of the power continues to slip away, trailing off in a swirling, unsteady path, straight towards the Casket. "You've tricked me," he whispers, and Thor has never heard Loki sound so uncertain and lost. 

Thor forces himself to remain steady. This is not his brother that speaks to him now. 

"What are you doing to him?" Steve demands, as he steps closer. He reaches out to steady Loki when he starts to sink towards the ground. 

"We will not be imprisoned again," Loki growls, pulling away from Steve's hands. "Stop this now or we shall burn your brother's mind from this body until there is nothing left." 

"You will not," Thor roars. "If you do there will be nothing between us, and I will bring the full force of Asgard down upon you." 

Loki glances down to see that Thor has recovered his hammer as well, his slipping grasp on his power making it almost impossible to keep track of the enchantments he's already woven. The power of the Tesseract is slipping from him fast—the Casket tugging at him insistently, weaving everything together to pull it back to its prison.

"Thor, I think you should stop this," Steve says, uncertain, hesitantly reaching for Loki. "This is going to—" 

"This is no concern of yours," Loki yells, throwing Steve back with a last burst of power. Steve goes flying forty feet back, and Loki collapses to his knees. He lets himself fall forward until his head is resting on the pavement. 

"Brother, please, hold on," Thor says, cautiously approaching. He thinks for a moment that Loki is crying, but then he realizes it is laughter. 

Loki raises his head, his eyes still shrouded by that surreal shade of blue. "You think you've won," he says, "but this is what Loki wanted all along." 

"What are you talking about?" Thor demands. 

"He knew you would kill him, but we did not believe him," Loki says. "We did not think you really would." 

Thor frowns. "This will not kill Loki, it will only free him from you." 

"Do you really think we can let him go?" Loki asks, sounding honestly curious. He smirks. "No, it isn't in us to let him go, he is us. Loki knew that, and he tricked us all. He knew what we would do, and he knew he would not survive it." 

The power continues to seep out, and in a sudden blink Loki's eyes are green. 

"But if it's any consolation," he says weakly, "I am sorry." 

Thor surges forward, but is not fast enough to catch him before he hits the ground. Thor drops down beside his brother, unsure what to do now. Light is slipping out from him like fireflies—wisped away towards the casket, leaving Loki deathly pale. 

Loki turns his head to side, watching the power float away. He sees the scrap of material that had hidden the Casket and chokes out a laugh. 

"That is mother's shawl," he says weakly. "You shrouded the Casket in her magic." 

"You know I am not so gifted I could have managed to deceive you on my own," Thor whispers, pulling his brother into his arms. "Tell me how to help you, Loki. Tell me what I must do and I will do it." 

"There is nothing to be done," Loki tells him. "You have done the only thing you could. We will be trapped back in that prison, and we will sleep until we wake again." 

"Loki?" Thor frowns, not sure exactly who is speaking. He clasps his brother's face, examining closely those bright green eyes. They look darker than they ever have before, but he can see his brother in them now. "Loki, you will be fine. The power is going back where it belongs. You will be fine." 

"Don't you understand?" Loki asks. "It's going, yes, but it is taking me with it."

Thor's expression goes shuddered and he gently lowers Loki to the ground, before stomping across to the Casket. He slams it shut and the earth shudders beneath them as it closes. Loki gasps out a protest, trying to raise himself to his knees. 

"No," he says. "I can't fight this, Thor. You have to stop me while you still can. I won't fall for that again." 

"I will not lose you," Thor decides, before turning his eyes down the street. "Warriors!" 

The Warriors Three and Sif appear almost instantly, taking up a defensive position around the brothers and the Casket, forming a circle. Thor wraps the Casket again and holds it beneath his arm. Loki knows exactly what this means. 

"You cannot take me to Asgard," he says urgently. His throat burns as he tries to talk. He can see Steve out of the corner of his eye, bloodied but on his feet. Loki lets himself be relieved for one small moment that Steve is not so hurt he cannot stand before returning his focus to his brother. 

"Thor, I need you to listen to me," he says, trying to get through to him. "You cannot take the Casket back to Asgard!" 

"Father will know what to do," Thor says, watching his brother in concern. "We will be safe in Asgard." 

"I cannot be saved," Loki insists. 

Thor ignores him, staring up into the sky. "Heimdall!" he yells. "Open the Bifrost to us now!" 

In a blinding white light, the Asgardians disappear, leaving nothing but a small number of swirling snowflakes in their wake. 

 

* * * * *

"No!" Steve shouts, as Loki and the others are swept upwards in a flash of light. He rushes forward, pulling himself to a stop at the edge of the circle that has appeared in the middle of the street. 

The design spans over the road's yellow center line, carved out in the pavement in seamless clean lines. He looks up but the clouds are breaking away above them, leaving nothing but a clear, empty blue sky. 

Clint and Natasha appear on either side of him, still like sentries, and Tony and Coulson wander over with a limping Bruce held up between them. 

"Well, I'll say this for them," Tony says. "They certainly know how to make an exit." 

"I'll call Fury," Coulson says. "Let him know the situation has been contained." 

Bruce breaks away from Tony's hold, kneeling down to frown at the scattered glass of the Tesseract's former casing. 

"Are we sure we haven't just let something loose, instead?" he asks, glancing back at them. 

"Thor said his father could help Loki," Steve says, sounding more certain than he feels. "He'll be fine." 

"Great," Tony says. "Sounds good. So let's call it a day, huh? Who wants shawarma?" 

Steve frowns, turning to glare at Tony. "We're not done yet," he says. "You need to find a way to contact Asgard." 

Tony's grin slips. "Why would we want to do that? We just got rid of them." 

"The threat is still out there, and there's no guarantee it won't return," Coulson says. "Captain Rogers is right." 

"Of course you're going to agree with him!" Tony says in exasperation, before motioning widely at the circular design on the street. "This right here—magic circles and doorways of light? Not my area of expertise." 

"I thought you were an expert at everything," Steve says. 

Tony glares at him. "Fine," he snaps. "I'll look into it. After shawarma." 

Steve nods vaguely, his eyes going back to the sky. Natasha watches him carefully. 

"Whatever happens, it was what he wanted," she says. "He was willing to give his life to save us." 

"And I let him," Steve says. 

"If it makes you feel better," Natasha says, as her lips twist into a wry grin. "I don't think you could have stopped him." 

 

* * * * *

Loki appears inside the Bifrost, still on his knees. He looks up sharply to see Heimdall watching. "What have you brought upon us?" the guardian asks, though his eyes are aimed so distant Loki cannot tell if he is speaking to himself or to Thor. 

Loki can feel the Warriors Three and Sif at his back, each tensed for any sudden move. He is weakened and outnumbered, but it is not in him to give in. He grins slowly and sees Heimdall lift his head, ready to speak out a warning—but not soon enough. 

Loki spins around as he gets to his feet, sending the four warriors flying back into the wall of the Bifrost, before returning his attention back to his brother. He lunges forward, but Thor has always been better at close-range fighting. Loki did his best work from a distance. 

Thor manages to side step and twist him around, tossing him through the doorway of the Bifrost to land precariously on the bridge. Loki turns around, getting back to his feet as Thor approaches him warily. Somehow he's managed to keep the Casket in his arms, untouched. 

"Open the Casket," Loki commands. 

"I will not," Thor says. "I do not know whether you wish to take its power or wish it to take yours, but I will not allow either." 

"Not even to save Asgard?" Loki asks. "There was a reason father left the Tesseract on Earth. It was far too dangerous a thing to bring it here." 

"I will not parry with words with you, creature," Thor sneers, reaching out to grab his arm. "Give me back my brother." 

"You are speaking with him," he says. "You removed enough of the Tesseract that I have regained my senses for now." 

"Then why will you not let me help you?" Thor shouts. 

"Don't you understand?" Loki asks, his green eyes glazed with unshed tears. "That is what I am asking for. Let me go, Thor." 

"That is one thing I can never do," Thor says. "Father will fix this." 

Loki laughs, pulling away from him and spinning to walk backwards out onto the bridge of the Bifrost. "Such faith you have in his plans," Loki says. "But there is something you always overlook. If he is so all-knowing, do you truly believe he did not foresee this?" 

"Loki, come away from the edge," Thor says, his eyes widening as he realizes Loki is not heading across the bridge towards Asgard. 

He is moving closer towards its edge. 

"He knew exactly what was at stake." Loki swallows hard, glancing down into the void. "And how it must end." 

Loki closes his eyes and prepares to fall, but Odin appears behind him. His father grabs him before he can step a foot off the bridge, dragging the struggling Loki up against him. 

"I am sorry," Odin says. "I swear to you that I did not realize what I had risked." 

"Let me go," Loki snarls. 

"Sleep now, my son," Odin whispers, and Loki goes limp in his arms. Odin carefully lowers him onto the bridge, before looking up at Thor. 

Thor still holds the Casket in his hands, and Odin glares at it. 

"Warriors Three," he calls. "Take that to the vaults and secure it. None are to touch it without my permission." 

The warriors come stumbling onto the bridge, and Fandral steps up to carefully take the Casket from Thor, wrapping it again in Frigga's scarf. Thor lets it go with reluctance, watching his friends depart anxiously. 

"I failed, father," he says. "I did not get the Tesseract out of Loki. I had to stop or it would have killed him." 

"You did the right thing," Odin assures him. "Had you allowed the Casket's magic to continue drawing out his power, then Loki as we know him would have been lost to us forever." 

"But now you can help him," Thor says, but his father will not look at him. 

"Let us get him to the healing chamber," Odin says. 

* * * * *

Frigga rushes down the hall, coming to a sudden stop when she sees Odin standing outside the healing chamber doors. He looks defeated and so old—she knows he has avoided the Odinsleep, far too long. She approaches him with caution. 

"Loki—" she questions hesitantly. 

"I have put him in a sleep," Odin says wearily. "He took the Tesseract within him. Thor attempted to use the Casket to get it out." 

Frigga presses a hand against her heart, anxiously turning way. "No," she says. "That would—" 

"Thor stopped before Loki was pulled into the Casket along with the rest," Odin assures her quickly. 

"But there is some of the Tesseract still within him," Frigga realizes in horror. "You must wake him up." 

"I cannot," Odin says. 

"He is trapped there with it!" Frigga cries, reaching out for Odin in desperation. "We cannot leave him to that." 

"The power is safely locked within him for now," Odin says. "That is what matters. It cannot be allowed to escape, not the least because it would take our son with it." 

"You've turned him into a living Casket," she says, pulling away from him when she senses his resolve. "You've made him into a prison." 

"I had no choice, the damage had already been done," Odin says. "You are the one that delivered the Casket into Thor's hands, not I! You knew it was the only way." 

"Yes, I gave it into Thor's hands," Frigga agrees. "And you led Loki straight to it." 

"Loki was better suited to handle its power," Odin says. "He's always had such strong magic." 

"Which made him the more dangerous choice," Frigga says. "Magic calls to magic. Blood calls to blood." 

"He is ours!" Odin snaps. "He is not theirs." 

"He is not a possession," Frigga says quietly. "He is not an ornament like that Casket you so liked to admire. You cannot place him in irons and set him down within the vaults."

"You know very well I locked up the Casket so it would be safe," Odin says. 

"You put it there in case you had use for it again," Frigga says. "It should have been destroyed. I do not want it here." 

"If we destroy it now, we may destroy Loki along with it," Odin says. "I will find a way to separate the remnants of the Tesseract from our son, and until then he will be safe." 

"He is not safe," Frigga protests. "You must wake him, and I will speak to him. You wanted to trust Loki with this power, well, he has it now. It is time to see what he will do with it." 

"We cannot take the risk," Odin says firmly. "Loki was never meant to take in that much power, whatever you believe, that had never been my plan. I have made certain that he will be safe where he is. I will wake him once he is again himself." 

Frigga says nothing as Odin moves past her and disappears down the hall. Odin is powerful, none know just how powerful better than her—but no spell is perfect, there are always ways around them. Her son is slippery, and he will find it. 

And if he is allowed to wake on his own, it might not be him that wakes at all. 

She steps numbly into the room, gripping the wall as she takes in her son. He looks just like he's sleeping, shrouded in the healing field, though the woven shirt the healers have placed him in is something far too intricate for sleep. He looks every bit the prince he is, and it breaks her heart to see him so still. 

"He will be fine," Thor assures her. He sits steadily at Loki's side, and the seriousness on his face makes him appear so grown that her breath catches in her throat. "I will ensure it." 

"Oh, Thor," she says. "I am afraid this is not a battle you can fight for him." 

Thor looks back to Loki. "But he is here, is he not?" he asks. "Please tell me I stopped in time. Please tell me I have not let that dreaded Casket steal my brother's life right out from under me." 

"He is still there, that is not in question," Frigga assures him, as she hesitantly brushes Loki's hand. 

It is what is there with him that worries her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up: Steve is sent into the prison of Loki's mind, where a library sits with no doors and Laufey's ghost lurks around the perimeter, shrunk to half his size. It is not a matter of whether or not Loki can escape, but rather if he will try.


	8. Part VII

"I will go to Jotunhiem," Thor decides solemnly. "I will force them to help."

Frigga does not take her eyes from Loki. "They can do nothing." 

"It has been nearly a month!" Thor protests. "Father is no closer to finding a way of removing these demons from Loki's mind. We must do something." 

"I agree," Frigga says. "But those left on Jotunhiem no longer have control of this power. They cannot help us now." 

"Then what can?" Thor asks. 

Frigga finally looks up at her oldest son. "I never meant for you have to use the Casket on Loki," she says in apology. "It was meant for the Jotuns, and Loki never should have been there." She looks away again, her eyes going distant. "I thought he was still on Jotunhiem. I believed him safe." 

"I know you blame me," Thor begins. "But I—" 

"I do not blame you," she assures him. "I blame myself because I cannot see him, Thor. I try, but I cannot see him. I cannot see his future." 

"This is not your fault," Thor assures her. "None of us believed Loki would try to sacrifice himself in this way." 

"But we should have," she says. "I have been so distracted trying to puzzle out his future that I have lost all sight of him in the present." 

"Just tell me what I must do," Thor says. "How can I fix this?" 

"We need to wake him," Frigga says. "Loki must face this without either of us." 

"I will not leave my brother to face this alone," Thor denies instantly. 

"I never said he would need to be alone." Frigga shakes her head. "I would go myself, but I trust myself with such power far less than Loki." 

"You have too little faith in yourself, mother," Thor says. "I know you will always use whatever power you have for good." 

"Yes," Frigga says, her mouth twitching up. "And nothing has a greater cost than peace." 

"Then I will do it," Thor decides. "I have no need of such power." 

"It may well have need of you, and Loki is far too skilled in getting you to do as he wants," Frigga says. She meets Thor's eyes. "But there is another." 

"Who?"Thor frowns, watching as there is a flash of blue beneath his brother's skin. The Tesseract, settling in. 

"The mortal that has stolen my youngest son's heart," she says. "Who better to ask to give it back?" 

"You want to bring a mortal into Asgard? Father will never allow it," Thor says. "I used to think he was not afraid of anything, but this power scares him."

"It is because this power is the only power greater than his own," Frigga says. 

"Then perhaps he is right not to risk letting it free," Thor says hesitantly. 

"He has not seen what I have seen," Frigga insists. "And I cannot tell him, because he may not understand. If you ever wish to have your brother safely returned to us, then you must do as I say. This is the last chance we have, Thor. Find the Midgardian, and bring him here." 

"And if he cannot help?" Thor asks quietly. 

"Then Loki's beautiful mind will be torn to pieces, and scattered to the corners of Asgard—" Frigga whispers. "You fear he will not ever wake, but this is not what I fear. I fear what he will be, when he does." 

"What reason could you have to fear Loki?" Thor asks. 

"You have never understood your brother," Frigga tells him. "You were always going to be a hero, always going to be King. Loki's power is not so easy to see, but it is just as strong as yours. He might have fallen, had you not fallen first. He might have wandered the Void and gone mad there. He might have even stood and watched as Jotunhiem took the Earth. He cannot be predicted, Thor. I cannot predict him." 

"How can you speak of him this way? He is your son," Thor says. 

"Yes, he is my son," Frigga says, as she gently brushes her hand through Loki's hair. "And I will give him the respect that he deserves."

* * * * *

Bruce carefully steps into Tony's lab. He's spent the last few weeks in New Mexico, consulting with Doctors Erk Selvig and Jane Foster, attempting to reevaluate their research based on what he knows of the Biforst without revealing the details to them. SHIELD was still working to clear them and decide if they wanted to offer them a job, but until then Bruce had to work half-blind by glossing over how he had come across his side of the research.

Neither of them had been stupid, and they had known he knew more than he was telling. It was almost a relief when he got called back to Avenger tower, except he didn't think they were any closer to contacting Asgard than they had been before. 

He had hoped that Tony might have made more progress, but as he carefully makes his way around the scattered debris—machine parts, empty soda cans, various articles of clothing—he has his doubts. 

"Tony?" he calls in concern. 

"Oh, thank god." Tony peeks out around the corner. "I thought you were Steve." 

Bruce frowns, reaching down to pick up a pizza box in disgust. There are bits of dried cheese caked all along the edge, but at least the hermetically sealed tower keeps out the problem of bugs.

"You have to help me," Tony says desperately, casting a wary glance towards the door. "He's got me prisoner." 

Bruce eyes him pityingly. "Steve is like the nicest guy in existence." 

"Oh no," Tony says. "He's gotten to you to, hasn't he? He's got you all fooled!" 

"Tony, when was the last time you slept?" Bruce asks gently. 

"You think that tyrant lets me sleep?" Tony asks. "He stole all my Scotch!" 

"It's called an Intervention," Bruce says. "All of us were there. Pepper thought it was a great idea." 

"Lies, all of it!" Tony says. "He's just using that as front to keep me locked up here." 

"In your amazing penthouse," Bruce says, just to be clear. "Where you live." 

"You think I'm joking?" Tony asks. "Jarvis, open the door." 

"I am afraid I cannot do that at this time, sir," Jarvis says. "For your own safety, I cannot allow you to leave this room until you have slept." 

"See?" Tony demands. "I'm being terrorized in my own home! My creations all turned against me!" 

"Tony," Bruce says. "You're doing this to yourself." 

"You don't know what it's like, you've been safely across the continent," Tony whines. "He's got these big huge sincere eyes, and he keeps looking at me like I'm gonna fix this all and get Loki back for him and save the whole goddamn universe. I don't work well under pressure, Bruce!" 

"You only work under pressure," Bruce reminds him. 

"Well, I did build four new suits," Tony agrees. "But I haven't figured out how to get Steve to Asgard. I'm a scientist, not a sorcerer!" 

"I thought you didn't believe in magic?" Bruce asks. 

"I can't understand it," Tony admits. "It's so far above my head, I can't understand it. That never happens, Bruce. This never happens to me—but I can't even, I can't even prove that Asgard exists!" 

The doors open and Steve comes in. He's holding a breakfast tray with toast and eggs, hash browns and bacon, orange juice and a little vase with a daisy in it. He smiles hopefully at Tony. "I brought you breakfast," Steve says. 

"See? See!" Tony shouts, pointing at the Captain. "He has no shame! No shame at all!" 

Steve sighs and sets the tray down. "Pepper had to go to a conference in Tokyo," he tells Bruce. "He's been like this ever since. I don't know what to do with him." 

"Tony, I think one of your simulations is finished," Bruce says. "Maybe you should go check on it." 

"Why?" Tony asks. "So you and Mom here can talk without me?" Tony drops down into his chair, crossing his legs up on the surface of his desk. "Well, go ahead." 

Bruce sighs, running hand down his face before nodding and turning to face Steve. "I didn't really learn anything to help us in New Mexico," Bruce says. "They're onto something, but they don't have all the facts and I can't give them to them. I was able to smuggle out copies of all their research so we can go over it, but even if we start to figure out what it is that brought Thor and Loki here—Steve, I'm sorry, but it might be years before we're even close to finding a way to replicate the conditions." 

Tony watches as Steve's expression crumbles. It's a hard truth and not one he's admitted to yet himself. He can't stand failure, or giving in. "But that's the bridge, right?" Tony asks. "And that's not the only way to get from here to there." 

"What do you mean?" Bruce asks. 

"Steve says Loki took them from Jotunhiem to the Fifth Street Diner in about ten seconds flat," Tony says. "While you've been trying to work out what gets that bridge to open, I've been trying to figure out how Loki seems to just go wherever the hell he wants." 

"What have you found out?" Bruce asks in interest.

"There's a bridge, and then there are _doors_ ," Tony says. "Loki uses the later. He can cross unimaginable distances just like he's walking from one room into the next." 

"How is that possible?" Bruce asks. 

"Yeah, that's sort of where I get stalled," Tony says. "Maybe if someone would bring me Scotch!" 

"Drinking yourself to the brink of unconsciousness is hardly going to help you solve this," Steve says in disappointment. 

"You don't know me at all, do you?" Tony asks. There is a glove from one of his suits sitting forgotten on his desk, and he snatches it up, slipping it over his hand as he heads towards the door to the lab. "I want to make sure Loki's okay just as much as the rest of you, but I have my methods and you have yours." 

He blasts the door open, ignoring Jarvis's cry of protests and heads out into his living room. He strolls across the mini bar, ignoring the twin accusing glares of Bruce and Steve, who make no real move to stop him. 

"You're acting like a child," Steve accuses. 

Tony sees something out of the corner of his eye as he pours his scotch. He turns to lean back against the bar as he sips at it, and the entire room shakes for a moment as the sound of thunder reverberates through the foundations. 

Because Thor has just dropped down onto the ledge outside of Tony's window, his hammer in hand. 

"I knew Scotch was the answer," Tony says, giving Thor a little wave. "I'm gonna go take a nap."

Tony starts to turn down the hall and Bruce corrals him back, forcing him to sit on one of the barstools as Thor comes crashing inside—straight through the glass. 

"Maybe I can get a two-for-one deal," Tony says. "Jarvis, call our maintenance crew." 

"They are already on their way, sir," Jarvis assures him. 

"Thor," Steve says urgently, pushing in front of Tony and Bruce. "How is Loki?" 

Thor watches his friends sadly. "He is plagued still by the Tesseract," he says. "My father has placed him in a deep sleep where he cannot harm himself." 

"But you can help him," Steve says. He watches Thor carefully, his words sounding more like a warning than a question. 

"I have been told I cannot help by those that understand this far better than me," Thor says. "I would rush in to save my brother if I could, but to slay the Tesseract would also kill him." 

"Then why are you here?" Tony asks, looking suddenly awake and far too sane. "You wouldn't have left Loki unless you had to. You think there's something here that will help him." 

"Yes," Thor agrees. He turns his eyes towards Steve. "My brother needs your help."

"Then take me to him," Steve says at once. 

"Okay, let's think this through before we go running off to play knight in shining armor," Tony interrupts. "What can he do exactly? I mean, Steve specifically?" He looks at Steve. "No offense." 

"That is between Loki and the Captain," Thor says. "Please. We have exhausted all other options. I would not be here if I had another choice." 

Steve looks back at Tony and Bruce. "Please, I have to do this," he says. "Will you let the others know where I am?" 

"Go," Bruce says. "We'll cover for you." 

Steve nods and turns back to Thor. "What do you need me to do?" he asks. 

"Remain still," Thor says simply, before tossing Steve over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, then taking off into the sky. 

Tony watches them fly off and takes another sip of Scotch. "I don't suppose you want to be the one to tell Fury about this?" he asks. 

"Fury doesn't want me in his office since the 'incident,'" Bruce says with a wince. "You destroy one lousy wing." 

"Yeah," Tony sighs. "I knew that do-gooder was gonna get me killed."

* * * * *

Travel through the Bifrost is nothing like traveling with Loki. Strangely it reminds him more what it had felt like to fall through crack in the Tesseract—powerful and bright, pulling him along nearly to burning before it lets him go.

He falls away from Thor as they appear back on solid ground, collapsing onto his hands and knees. There is gold woven into the very floors, intricate gears spinning beneath the glass like the inside of a clock. 

"You have brought a mortal through the Bifrost," Heimdall says. 

Steve glances up to see the guardian of the gate staring accusingly down at them. Thor ignores him as he unceremoniously pulls Steve to his feet. 

"Asgard is not meant for mortal eyes," Heimdall continues. 

"I have been advised by the Queen to take this mortal to Loki's side," Thor says. "Between bringing him here and taking Loki from Asgard, this seemed the safer path." 

"Safer is not safe." Heimdall glares down at him. "Odin will not be pleased." 

"So do not tell him," Thor says. 

"I will not lie to the King," Heimdall says simply. 

"An omission and a lie are not the same thing," Thor says. 

Heimdall eyes him speculatively. "You have spent too much time with your brother." 

"And I will do what I have to, to see him again," Thor says. "Whether you help me or stand in the way is up to you." 

"I will tell him only if he asks," Heimdall assures him. "But take care, young prince. Odin has always known just which questions he must ask." 

Thor just nods sharply, before leading Steve towards the bridge with more gentleness than Steve was used to from him. His breath caught as he looked across the bridge towards Asgard. "Oh wow." 

"Yes, it is beautiful," Thor says. "I have always believed it is the most beautiful place in all the nine realms, though Loki would disagree." 

Steve glances over at him. "What does he think is more beautiful than this?" 

"The Void," Thor says, pursing his lips in worry, as he nods towards the edge of the bridge. "He has always held such fascination for places he is not meant to go." Thor starts to cross the bridge. "Come, Steve. We may not have long." 

There is a single horse tied up outside the Bifrost. Thor swings himself onto it and then holds out a hand for Steve. He climbs up behind Thor and has barely a moment to orient himself before they are galloping across the bridge. 

Thor only takes the horse as far as Asgard's gates, then he dismounts and motions for Steve to be quiet. Steve's already guessed that he's not supposed to be here, so he drops down from the horse as silently as he can and follows Thor's steps towards the palace. 

Thor waits until the guards in front of the palace have wandered far enough from the doors, and then he drags Steve up the front steps and ushers him inside. "Quickly," he says simply. 

Steve nods, trying to keep up as Thor navigates these unfamiliar halls with ease. Steve pulls to a stop in front of a pair of large, intricately engraved doors. One has been left partly open, and he can see a light glowing from far within in though it is too dark to make out any real shapes. 

Thor returns to his side, grabbing his arm to keep him moving. "That is just the library," he says dismissively. "Loki is through here." 

Steve follows Thor into the room, and his breath catches. Loki lies deathly still behind a shimmering veil, dressed immaculately. He looks like something from fairytale. Steve begins to step closer when his attention is drawn by the other person in the room. 

There is a woman standing at Loki's bedside, her beautiful red hair spun into tiny braids and woven together like a work of art. Her dress shimmers as she steps further into the light, looking like it's been dusted with tiny flecks of gold. 

She looks too young to be Loki's mother, but Steve knows she can be no one else. 

Frigga turns to Thor. "Leave us, please," she says softly. "I will call you back as soon as it is done." 

Thor looks ready to protest, but he nods after a moment, and with a frustrated sigh he stomps from the room. 

Frigga turns her sharp eyes on Steve. "You are very beautiful," she tells him. "Not just on the outside, which is nice enough. But your heart. You have such a beautiful heart." 

"Thank you," Steve stutters, though his eyes have been drawn back to Loki. 

"His father put him to sleep until such time as he could find a way to safely remove the Tesseract," Frigga explains. "But even Odin does not realize how powerful Loki is, with or without it. He will wake up on his own eventually, and there will be no stopping him then." 

"What can I do?" Steve asks, looking up at her. "If you aren't able to find a way to help him, then I don't—" 

"It is not our help that he needs," Frigga says softly. "Do you love my son, Captain Rogers?" 

"I'm not sure," Steve admits, unable to lie to her. 

Frigga glances away. "So many of your world's stories talk about the certainty of love, of the way it can develop on sight—but that's not how it works exactly. When that happens it's because the love is already there. It's destiny, and that's just how you try to understand it." 

"What are you saying?" Steve asks. 

"You do not have to be sure of your love," Frigga says firmly. "I am certain of it. Will you help him?" 

"What do you want me to do?" he asks. 

"My husband trapped Loki in his mind with all the best intentions, but he has trapped him there with his enemy all the same," Frigga says. "He is not safe, and I cannot protect him. The Tesseract will burn out the good in him from the inside out. You need to remind him who he is." 

"Why me?" he asks. "Surely—" 

"I love him, but I have lied to him," Frigga says. "He may love his family but he does not trust us. He trusts you." 

Steve nods sharply steeling himself. "So do I just talk to him, or—" 

"Take his hand," Frigga says gently. 

Steve reaches out, wincing at how cold Loki's skin feels. He swallows hard and threads their fingers together. 

And then collapses as the ground disappears from beneath his feet.

* * * * *

Steve catches himself on an expanse of ice. He lets out a startled breath, and it fogs the air. The ice beneath his hands is startlingly clear, and he can see the intricate designs of the road that lay just beneath it.

It is nothing like what he saw on Jotunhiem, and it is nothing he's seen on Earth. 

It is Asgard, he realizes, taking it in. This is Asgard if it were buried beneath layer after layer of frost and ice. He forces himself to his feet, and looks behind him. The bridge to the Bifrost is brittle and frost-bitten, and the Bifrost itself is almost lost beneath the icicles that have crept down to cover it. 

There's only one way for him to go, and that's further in. 

'You must find him,' he hears Frigga's voice. 'Find him and bring him back.'

Steve closes his eyes for a moment, gathering his strength. This place is a wasteland, and he feels his heart ache because this is Loki's mind.

"Loki!" he yells. 

His voices echoes against the buildings, circling back and diffusing until it sounds like the wind. He turns in place, but he can see nothing moving. 

"Loki!" he shouts, trying again. 

"He's not going to come." 

Steve looks over at the voice in surprise, to see a pair red of eyes staring out at him from the shadows. 

"Who are you?" he demands. 

"I am Laufey, his father, the King," Laufey says, and he comes out into the light. 

Steve tries to hide his surprise. Laufey looks so different this size, he's nearly a foot shorter than Steve. His skin is shriveled and hangs limply off his frame. He looks ancient like this, but Steve can tell from the way he moves that underestimating him would be a mistake. 

"You did not recognize me," Laufey says, his shrewd eyes narrowing. "My son disfigured me greatly before he stole my power from me. I have been scarred far deeper than just my skin." 

"Laufey is dead," Steve says firmly. "You're just a figment of his mind." 

"Oh, it's never so simple," Laufey laughs. "I am not Laufey's whole self, but I am Laufey all the same. I am the best part there was of him: his power, his spirit, his _soul_."

Not a fragment of Loki's mind, Steve realizes, but a fragment of the Tesseract.

"Ah, you understand," Laufey says, as he paces carefully around him. "You are perhaps not as useless as I had believed." 

"If you are part of the Tesseract, then where is the rest?" Steve demands. 

"There isn't much of us left," Laufey shrugs, continuing to circle closer in. Steve spins to counter his movements, stepping back a bit when Laufey strikes out and grabs his arm.

Steve braces himself and prepares to counter, but he never has to. Laufey lets out an agonized scream, his hand where he has touched Steve blackening and shriveling to nothing. He pulls away, but not fast enough to save his fingers. His hand is a blackened stump, still smoldering as he moves to pull it against himself in pain. 

Steve watches in horror. "What—" 

"You have been protected by Asgard's Queen," Laufey snarls, curled in on himself like a wounded animal. His dark red eyes glare at Steve with mistrust. 

Steve steps closer, causing Laufey to shrink back. "Where is Loki?" Steve demands. 

"We do not know," Laufey hisses, as he collapses into a heap on the ice. He slides further from Steve in fear. "He is good at hiding, the little prince. He has been doing it all his life." 

Steve moves away from the broken king, his heart twisting with pity and disgust. "I'll find him," he promises. "You won't hurt him again." 

Steve turns and starts down the long road to the palace. It had taken some twenty minutes when Thor had first brought him to the city. He knows he still has a long way to go. 

Laufey sends muttered taunts after him, but Steve does not look back. He keeps on walking towards the heart of Asgard, and he does not realize until he is about halfway there that he does feel not cold. He is wearing the same clothes he came to Asgard in, just a blue and white-checkered shirt with slacks. He should be freezing. 

_Except none of this is real_ , he reminds himself. 

It's easy to forget. There is definitely the feel of a dream here—the absence of any others in sight is haunting, but the detail is hard to argue with. Dreams tend to be missing the small things—this place is a perfect replica of Asgard. 

Steve stops at the gates to the city and he can see the patterns etched into the gilded latticework. There are tiny figures drawn along the spiraling golden curves, tiny little marks that he can't imagine any mind could remember. 

"He has the soul of an artist," someone says. "Like you." 

Steve spins around, startled to see a Jotun standing directly behind him. She is his height and half again, her skin such a deep color of blue that it looks depthless set against all this ice. He can see etchings across her skin, every bit as detailed as the drawings he'd admired across the gates. 

"Who are you?" he asks. 

"We are the Tesseract," she says. "We have met before, Steve Rogers, and you should not be here." 

"You shouldn't be, either," Steve tells her, watching her carefully. "What's your real name? Who were you before?" 

"We had another name, once," she admits. "We do not remember it."

She is strangely beautiful, even as alien as she is—perhaps because of it. Steve steps back, looking up to meet her eyes. They are red but not as accusing as Laufey's. His eyes had looked crazed and desperate, but hers are deadly calm. 

"What have you done to Loki?" Steve demands. 

"We would not hurt him," she says. "We need him. He set us free." 

"You've gained your freedom at the expense of his," Steve says. 

"Yes," she agrees. "He gave it to us. He called, and we came." 

Steve swallows hard, but he can't really argue against that. He didn't doubt that Loki had known exactly what he was doing. "He's not like you," he says. "You can't stay here. He'll never allow it." 

"You have no idea what he is, child," she says. "He is more like us than you will ever know." 

Steve wants to protest but isn't sure he can. He knows in his heart that Loki is good—if he wasn't, he could have left the Earth to its fate and saved himself. It would be easy to think because of this that he understood him, but he's not that arrogant. He knows she's right.

There are things about Loki that he knows he will never understand. 

But that doesn't change the fact that there are things about him that he will always believe. 

"Okay, so maybe he'll allow it," he says. "But I won't." 

"You are very brave." She smiles, and it's not sinister. It looks a little like Frigga's smile, patient and kind. "We ask you be careful here. The brave so often perish."

Steve is about to protest when she splits apart, breaking away into tiny pieces of snow and disappearing on the wind. He swallows hard, before turning and heading through the gates. 

The palace lies straight ahead of him. The stairs have been piled with snow, but he can still see the doors, half-hidden behind them. It's the obvious place for Loki to have gone, but he wonders if he's there how no one else has found him. 

The doors creak open before he even steps towards them, a pale pink shawl spinning out the doorway to land at his feet. He kneels down beside it, recognizing it as the cloak Thor had used to veil the Casket. Loki had said it belonged to his mother. 

He glances back up. The palace it is.

* * * * *

Frigga paces the length of her son's bed. She had called for Thor to return an hour ago, and he sits anxiously in the corner. He does not speak, and it is unlike him not to fill the silence. Frigga knows he still feels guilt over using the Casket on Loki, but she knows, above any one, how much worse things might have been if he had not.

Loki might have been consumed by that power, dragged under its thrall but still himself enough to know exactly where to strike in order to bring Asgard to its knees. And her son might still have felt betrayed enough to allow it without fighting. 

She comes to a stop, trying to banish the possibilities from her mind. Loki is ever-changing, and she cannot keep on worrying about what might have been or might be. She will focus now on what-is. 

She hears Odin before she sees him. He pushes through the doors, fully in his armor, his spear held with a casualness that does not fool her. He is ever ready to go to war. 

"Did you believe you could bring a mortal here, and I would not know?" he demands. 

"Of course not," Frigga says, glancing up. "I knew you would know, I simply did not expect you to understand." 

"You would defy me?" he demands. "You would risk our son for this Midgardian?" Odin reaches out to pull Steve's hand from Loki's, and Frigga follows his movements dispassionately. He can barely make contact before his hand is thrown back, pushing him a foot back along the floor. He looks up at his wife in surprise. "What have you done?" 

"He is protected," Frigga says. "For as long as he is my guest here in Asgard." 

Thor quickly gets to his feet, moving to stand in front of his mother. "Father, this not just any Midgardian," he says, hoping to appease him. "Loki trusts him." 

"Loki trusts no one," Odin says. 

"Yes, exactly," Frigga says. "Which makes this man rather remarkable, wouldn't you agree?" 

Odin approaches his wife. "What have you seen to make you go against me?" he demands. "What is it you are trying to prevent? I will know what is at stake!" 

"It is our son that is at stake," Frigga says. "And there is nothing that will prevent me from saving him." 

"Loki does not wish to be saved!" Odin yells. "Why do you think I put him into this sleep? Where do you think I found him? He was about to step out of this world. He would have fallen into Void and been lost to us forever—I had no choice!" 

"You may be content to see him simply breathing, but I am not," Frigga says. "I want my son back." 

"And you would risk everything for that small chance?" Odin demands. "You would gamble his life?" 

"It has been done. Even you cannot stop this now," Frigga says. "It is up to Loki." 

"Then let us hope you haven't saved him, only so we might lose him again," Odin says, and storms from the room. 

"That did not go very well," Thor says. 

"It went much better than I expected," Frigga says, gathering herself together before steadily returning her focus to her son. "He will forgive me, once Loki is safe." 

It goes unspoken that none of them will make it out of this unscathed, if Loki is not.

* * * * *

There are no guards in this replica of Asgard's palace. Steve scrambles his way up the snow-capped steps and no one appears to stop him. He pushes his way into the palace and is struck again by the beauty of this place. The inside of the palace has escaped the worst of the ice—there is just a thin layer of frost resting across the floors and crawling half up the walls.

His footsteps echo as he walks across the entranceway, the high ceilings above him domed and gleaming, a handful of snowflakes breaking free and dusting down on him like confetti. 

Halls branch out in every direction like a maze. He stands there for a moment taking it in, unsure which way to turn, before finally deciding to go where Thor had led him when he was really here. 

The hallway he chooses is marbled, cream colored with streaks of gold—but there is a blue glow coming from somewhere, painting the whole tableau with an eerie winter gloom that seems out of place here. He glances up ahead and sees the doors to the healing chambers. 

That's when he realizes what is missing. 

So far this has been exact replica of the real thing, but Steve remembers passing another door before he reached the healing rooms. The library, Thor had said. He glances back around but the hallway wall is unmarked stretching all the way back. 

He walks slowly back towards it, even though there is a niggling in the back of his mind—a voice that sounds like Loki's, telling him to turn back around. He places his hand against the wall and a seam begins to appear in the marble. A bright gold glow traces out the outline of the door, spreading out from his hand and then becoming solid and morphing into carved wood. 

The doorknob turns on its own, the door creaking open slowly—Steve can't tell for sure if it's an invitation, or a trap. 

He supposes it does not matter, because he's come too far to turn back now. He cautiously steps inside the library, and the door snaps shut behind him, before disappearing once more into the wall. 

Steve glances back in the room. Library is sort of an understatement. 

The room is as at least the size of the throne room, books lined up back to back across every single wall, from the floor to the edge of the domed ceiling. Bookshelves crisscross all throughout the center of the floor, tall enough it's like being in a forest of redwoods—they seem to travel upwards forever. 

Steve enters a row of the shelves, but they are not patterned uniformly like a library on Earth. They are interconnected like a maze, one slanted hall of books jointed to another, fluidly leading you further in until you cannot see beyond them. 

He comes to a stop as an archway appears, an empty space breaking up the lines of books just wide enough to walk through. He slips beneath it and finds a room on the other side. There is a fireplace burning brightly and three couches arranged around it. Loki sits on the ledge of a window, with his head resting against the glass. 

He is pale, and there are bruises beneath his eyes. He wears just a green shirt, laced at the neck, with black pants. They are the simplest clothes that Steve has ever seen him in and he looks bizarrely fragile. Steve never thought that would be a word he would apply to Loki. 

"Loki?" he asks cautiously. 

"Mother should not have brought you here," Loki says, without turning to look at him. "It is not safe." 

"I can handle it, right now it's not me I'm worried about," Steve assures him. "What's happened to you?" 

"I am hunted," Loki says simply, finally turning to face him. 

"You're on Asgard," Steve assures him. "You're safe." 

"Asgard has never been safe." Loki laughs, one leg dropping down from the window ledge to swing aimlessly below him. "It is a lovely illusion, with everything painted just the same colors—even my own skin camouflaged itself to fit in. But I have seen what truly lies beneath it." 

Loki leans his head back, his eyes roving over the books. "This is the only place I have ever felt safe." 

"It is a beautiful library," Steve says softly. "We have so many of them on Earth, but none are like this." 

"Did you know," Loki asks conversationally, "that this is the only one we have? All of Asgard, all our millennia of life, and all that's been written of it is right here in this room." 

"This isn't a room," Steve says quietly. "Loki, this isn't real." 

Loki ignores him, continuing to look out the window. Steve follows his gaze, and takes a step closer only to see that it is not the frozen Asgard on the other side of the glass. Steve's heart clenches as he looks out instead on the cityscape of New York City, all of the buildings set below them like they're looking out from the top of the Empire State. "But then you know that," he realizes. 

"I am well aware of where I am, yes," Loki agrees, finally turning to look at him. 

"Then why aren't you trying to escape?" Steve demands. "You're not even trying—" 

"There is nowhere I can run from this, the threat is inside of me and must be contained," Loki snarls. "It is what Thor should have done. Our shining King—our brilliant _leader_ , and never can he see what must be done!" 

"He just wants to save you," Steve says. "I would have done the same thing." 

"Then you are just as much of a fool as he is," Loki says. 

"Could you so easily sacrifice us?" Steve asks quietly.

"This is not a sacrifice," Loki insists. "I am not some martyr, that I would want to die. It is not that simple. I have known, since the moment my brother and I walked out onto Jotunhiem—" Loki pauses, his green eyes clouded. "I have known my fate. My mother knows it just as well, so I do not see why she sent you here." 

"She sent me here to bring you back," Steve says. 

"She spoke my fate to me already, though she does not want to believe it herself. Do you know what it is that she called me? Not a riddle, not a puzzle—she called me a _labyrinth_. And labyrinths, for all their twists and turns, always have a single end." 

"You think you're supposed to die," Steve realizes. 

"I was supposed to die on Jotunheim," Loki says. "If it had not been for the Tesseract, I would have." 

"But you did survive," Steve says. "And you wouldn't have if you weren't meant to." 

"Are you certain of that?" Loki demands. "If I had just died then, none of this would have happened. I awoke the Tesseract to save myself, and I have known all along the only way to put that right is to give my life to stop it." 

"Since when do you follow the rules?" Steve demands. "Since when do you want to do what you're supposed to? Since when do you give in?"

Loki glares at him, before abruptly looking away. His breath seems to hitch as he stares out the window, fogging up the glass in strange, feathered patterns. 

"You think you've saved us, but you haven't, not yet," Steve says. "If you give in then this has all been for nothing!" 

"Your world is intact, you consider that nothing?" Loki demands. "Had I known you valued it so little, I would not have bothered to save it." 

"From what I can tell, you've merely postponed it," Steve says. "I spoke to fragments of the Tesseract on my way to find you, they haven't given up. They'll find a way out of here eventually, and what then?" 

"They have no interest in the Earth," Loki says. 

"And Asgard?" Steve demands. 

"Asgard can take care of itself," Loki snaps. "Odin will do what must be done, that can always be counted upon." 

"You act like you don't care," Steve says. "But I saw—I've seen just how much care. I've seen you try to do the right thing. You deserve more than this. Why won't you let me help you?" 

"Why should I?" Loki asks, his breathing suddenly steady as he looks Steve straight in the eye. "It would not be very merciful of me, if I did. I was born cursed. I have tried all my life to fit into this world, and I thought, when I found out what I was—of course, that's why. But it wasn't that at all, because I belong on Jotunheim even less than I belong here." 

"So come with me to Earth," Steve says. 

"Earth?" Loki laughs. "What use could I possibly have there?" 

"You could be an Avenger, if you wanted," Steve shrugs. "Or you could just be there, with me. No obligations, no expectations." 

Loki shakes his head. "Even if I wished to accompany you back to Earth," he starts. "I am trapped here by Odin's magic." 

"So find a way around it," Steve says. "Your mother obviously did, or I wouldn't be here." 

Loki glances sharply at Steve, narrowing his eyes. "My mother is the one that taught me most of what I know," he says. "Matching her skill is no easy thing, and if I escape the Tesseract will follow." 

"Then we need to find a way to make sure it doesn't," Steve says. "We need to trap it, or force it out." 

"There is no way to force the Tesseract from my mind," Loki assures him. 

"There must be a way," Steve protests. 

"You don't understand. There is no way to _force_ it," Loki explains, his eyes brightening as he turns his eyes towards the window. "But force has never been my greatest strength." 

"You've got a plan," Steve says. 

"Yes." Loki grins slowly, his Asgardian armor appearing from nowhere to weave itself around him. "I am going to do what I do best. I am going to bargain with it." 

Loki's grin slips as he takes in Steve's attire, and he waves a hand, spinning him a suit of gleaming silver armor. "Appearance is half the battle," he explains. "And if we are to face off with the Tesseract, we must look the part." 

Steve glances down at his new clothes in bemusement. "How will we find it?" he asks. 

"We have no need to," Loki says, glancing towards the bookshelves. They rearrange themselves so they all lead straight to the doors. "I need only let it find us." 

It is only a moment before the doors open, and the giantess that Steve had encountered earlier strolls across to them. She watches Loki with a fondness that sets Steve on edge. 

"Are you ready to join us?" she asks. 

"He's not joining you," Steve says firmly. 

"It's okay," Loki says to him, moving around Steve to stand in front of her. "I have no wish to be part of your collective, but I might have a way to set you free." 

"We are free," she says, looking down at him. "Your power compliments ours. There is nothing we cannot do here. Even the All-Father's magic will not hold us for long." 

"But you will always be hunted by Asgard if you are with me," Loki reminds them. "My family will not so easily let me go." 

"They lied to you," she says. "They betrayed you." 

"If every lie is a betrayal," Loki says, "then I have never been loyal to anyone." 

"What can you offer us? What can you give us that will provide freedom from prisons and Asgard alike?" she asks. 

"I offer you Jotunhiem," Loki says. 

Her eyes darken, the red in them glowing like ambers as she tilts back her head. "We will never again return to those that lost us," she says. "We were torn for them and left alone. They did not find us. They did not even try. We were alone, so long, until you came." 

Loki watches her carefully, taking measure of her power. She has been fractured, but he can feel the tendrils of her power reaching back towards that the Casket still holds—like tiny cords, stretched nearly to breaking.

"I did not mean you should bind yourself again to those that live there," Loki says. "Most of those you came from were slaughtered in the war, there is not space enough in their souls for you to return to them in any case." 

"Then what is it you suggest?" she asks. 

"Jotunhiem is the origin of your power, and it is where you belong," Loki says. "The planet is dying without its magic. Odin interrupted the cycle of life there when he locked you away." 

"You would risk letting us loose?" the Tesseract asks curiously. "What is to stop us being enemies of Asgard once more?" 

"Absolutely nothing," Loki says. "I could destroy you, by destroying myself. That is the only way to be certain of peace between us. I would not advise making an enemy of me, but the choice is yours." 

"What choice?" she asks. "To be your subject or to be destroyed?" 

"Asgard will have no reason to interfere with you or your world should you not give them one," Loki says. 

"You cannot promise that to us," she says. "It is Odin that would see us destroyed." 

"If he wanted to destroy you, he would have done so already," Loki says. 

"We will not be safe, so long as the Casket is in his hands," she says. "Give it to us and let us leave and we will allow this truce." 

"The Casket will be destroyed," Loki says. "I cannot risk setting you free while it exists. Without it your power will be diffused, the way it was meant to be." 

"And we will be weakened," the Tesseract hisses. 

"Yes," Loki says. "This is a negotiation, if you'll recall. You can hardly have expected I'd give you everything. That's not how it works." 

"If we agree then you get everything and we get nothing," she says. "That is also not how it works." 

"This deal gives us both everything that we want," Loki says. "You get to be back where you belong, and become again what you should be. You won't have the power for conquest any longer, but neither will you have the need. You said you want to live, to be powerful and safe and invincible—return to Jotunhiem and you will flourish, none will ever capture or cage you again. You'll be in the ground, on the wind, the very air itself. You truly will be invincible."

She pauses, seeming to consider. "The All-Father will never allow it," she decides. "There is always the chance. Always there is the chance we rise to fight again." 

"He will either allow it or he will not and we will both be lost," Loki says. "Either way we have nothing to lose." 

"You have your truce then," the Tesseract says. "If you take us to Jotunhiem, we will leave you unharmed." 

"And Asgard?" Loki asks. 

"You have not realized this yet, but we understand," she says. "You and Asgard are one and the same." 

"What of Laufey?" Loki asks hesitantly. He has felt his father's particularly insidious brand of magic, attempting to seek him out. "He would see me dead." 

"He had his chance," she says. "Laufey is us now, and he will go with us. He will not have a choice." 

"Then we have a bargain," Loki says. 

"We do," she says, giving a perfunctory bow, before disappearing again into the air. 

"Okay." Steve lets out a breath he hadn't known he was holding, and turns to Loki. "What now?" 

"Now we wake up," Loki says. 

"Right," Steve says, watching Loki expectantly. Loki raises an eyebrow. "What, you want me to go first?" 

"You are not the one that is trapped here," Loki says. "You are protected by my mother's magic, nothing can keep you here." 

"Just say 'no place like home,' huh?" Steve mutters. "What about you?" 

"You were right, my mother found a way around my father's magic," Loki says. "If you wake up, I can follow you out through the path she has left." 

"Right, okay," Steve says, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes. "So what, I just—" 

"Wake up," Loki prompts, and Steve feels the world pulled out from under him for the second time that day.

* * * * *

Loki sees a flash of his mother's dress in the split second after he opens his eyes, feels the palm of Steve's hand against his own, hears Thor's startled intake of breath—and then he is being pulled away, dragged into the vaults by powerful magic.

His father's magic. 

He collapses in front of the Casket, sucking in air and pressing a hand to his heart. He tries to orient himself quickly, because he can feel Odin standing above him and his father has never tolerated weakness well. 

"If you wished to speak with me so urgently, you could have simply asked," Loki says, looking up. "I would have come." 

"You are the Tesseract," Odin says. "Do you think I cannot sense you still within him? I know my son."

"You do not know your son so well as you think," Loki says. 

"I know him well enough," Odin says. "And I will not allow you to take him." 

Loki pushes himself to his feet. The Asgardian armor he'd built around himself in his dream has been replaced by a soft, silken threaded shirt and leather pants. He does not drag his armor back around him though he could—in this instance, some vulnerability might be the very thing that protects him. 

"And if I could give him back to you?" he asks. "And destroy the Casket at the same time?" 

"Destroying the Casket would not help anyone," Odin denies. "If it is destroyed, where should its power go?" 

"To Jotunhiem," Loki says. 

"The land of my enemies?" Odin demands. "You have too long been prisoner, and have gone mad." 

"You have never wanted them for enemies," Loki says. "You have regretted for years what you did, though you had no choice. It was why you took me and brought me here. You considered it your penance." 

"Loki is no penance, he is my son!" Odin yells. 

"He was a piece of a plan," Loki says, tracking his father's every move. He doesn't try to convince his father it is him that speaks—he will not plead, or beg, or ask for his trust. He might learn more if his father thinks he speaks to an enemy, and Loki has long waited to hear the truth. "An insurance policy should you lose control of that power you stole." 

"I never meant he should fall victim to your power," Odin disagrees, and he looks older suddenly, standing there with his weapon pointed to the ground. "What will it take, to get you to let him free?" 

"You would bargain with me?" Loki laughs. 

"Tell me what it is that you want!" Odin roars. 

Loki goes very still, unsure what to make of his father's rage, his disorganized demands. This is not like his father at all, to be indecisive. He does not bargain, not ever. He has always sent Loki if he had need to negotiate—he himself was suited only to making demands. 

"If you truly want to free me," Loki says quietly, "then you must destroy the Casket." 

"That I will not do," Odin says at once. "There must be something else you want." 

"You stole two things from Jotunhiem at the end of the war," Loki says. "You can keep the Casket or you can keep me, but you cannot have us both. You must choose." 

"Stop speaking as though you are my son," Odin demands. 

"I did stop, when I found out what I was," Loki says. "You assured me I was your son still, and I believed you. Are you going back now on your word?" 

"You expect me to believe you are truly Loki? That you have mastered the power of the Tesseract?" Odin asks. "It cannot be done, not even by him." 

"Which is why I never tried," Loki says. "I have merely struck a deal with it." 

Odin's lips twitch. "Now that I can almost believe." 

Loki feels a burst of warmth, and catches himself against the wall. The stone vibrates against his fingers, and it feels a little like a coming storm—but this is something more powerful even than his brother. He looks up at his father. "I suggest you brace yourself," he warns. 

The doors to the vault slam open, ripping from the hinges before disappearing off opposite sides of the stairway. Frigga stands framed in the space they left behind, her hair tossed back behind her, magic practically seeping from her skin. 

"Odin Borson!" she yells. "What have you done with my son?" 

Odin turns to face her, looking for the most part unconcerned. Frigga narrows her eyes. "I felt him wake with the power still within him," Odin says. "Did you wish for me to leave the power of the Tesseract to wander about the palace?" 

"I _wish_ for you to trust in our son," Frigga says, her eyes moving past Odin to examine Loki. "Are you alright?" 

"Yes, mother," Loki says slyly. 

"Then your father should be grateful," Frigga says, before turning back to Odin. "What exactly is your plan here?"

"I'm trying to save our son," Odin says. 

"Our son is right there," Frigga says. "He has already saved himself." 

"He remains under the influence of the Tesseract," Odin says impatiently. "We cannot trust him while it is within him. I will not risk Asgard—" 

"Look at your son, Odin," Frigga demands, her eyes sparking as she steps up to face him. "Look at your son and tell me you cannot see that it is him." 

Odin turns to face Loki, taking the last few steps into the heart of the vault. He comes to stand right in front of him, and Loki meets his gaze steadily. He watches his father searching his gaze, but he doesn't know what he sees. 

"Loki would not ask me to destroy the Casket and release its power," Odin says, turning to face Frigga, but he sounds less certain than he had before.

"Loki?" Frigga questions. 

"I have made a bargain with the Tesseract," Loki explains. "That I will allow it to return to Jotunhiem, after we first destroy the Casket so it cannot be drawn together again. Jotunhiem will be restored, and the power of the Tesseract will be diluted. As a not inconsequential bonus, I will not be consumed by its power and will be left relatively unharmed." 

"And this would work?" Frigga demands of Odin.

"If the Tesseract could be trusted to keep its word," Odin admits. "But that is not a chance I am willing to take." 

Frigga makes her way down the steps, ignoring Odin's attempt to shield her and moving directly in front of Loki. "How can you be certain this power will not betray you, the moment it is restored?" 

"I have no assurance but its word," Loki says. "Either way the Casket will be destroyed, and if it betrays me you need only imprison me again. I will be no worse off than I am now." 

"You act as though imprisoning you would be an easy task," Frigga says wryly. "But even without the power of the Tesseract you are not so easy to catch." 

"What would you suggest?" Loki asks. 

"A compromise," Frigga says simply. "Do you trust me? I know I have not—" 

"Always," Loki interrupts smoothly. "What do you require?" 

"Give me your hand," she says, and he does so without further question. She pushes back his sleeve and spins a thin band of gold around his wrist. "This will prevent you from traveling anywhere but Jotunhiem. You will have no choice but to take the power there." 

"The Tesseract could do plenty of damage on Jotunhiem," Odin protests. 

"What concern is of that of yours?" Frigga demands. "You have never cared what happens there before." 

"I care that my son will be trapped there as well," Odin says. 

"Once the power is released, he will be free to come home," Frigga says, turning back to Loki. "And if he does not, then I will come to find him." 

"Very well then," Odin says. "Stand away from the Casket, both of you." 

Frigga grabs Loki's bound wrist, tugging him back with her as Odin goes to stand before the Casket. Loki turns to his mother. "Mother," he starts. "Steve—" 

"I will keep him safe until your return," she assures him. "You need only focus on the task at hand." 

Loki nods, trying to prepare himself for what is coming as Odin lifts his spear. He slams it down upon the Casket and the glass splits outwards, bits of the Tesseract already leaking out, escaping through the cracks. Loki closes his eyes as it all comes rushing straight towards him, and when he opens them again they are bright blue. 

He feels the doors opening up all around him, hears the little click as each appears. Usually he would be able to see into all places in the universe, but these doors are all leading him to the same place. 

Jotunhiem. 

Loki laughs delightedly. Only his mother could have so seamlessly subverted what was possibly the most powerful force in existence. 

"Loki?" she questions in concern, reaching out for him. 

Loki easily slips out of her reach, not wanting her to come into contact with the Tesseract. He can feel it within him though the sensation is different than the last time—it's there, surrounding him, but not _consuming_ him. 

He can still feel its need to absorb him, and he knows he doesn't have much time. Even if the Tesseract does want to keep to their bargain, it might not be able to stop some of its power from slipping through the cracks in Loki's defenses. 

And he's not entirely sure he can resist it for a second time. 

He fights the urge to reassure his mother and lets himself fall into one of the open doors, crashing out onto the cold ice of Jotunhiem. He looks up and his vision is tinted azure, blanketing the world in the strange glow that surrounds him. He sucks in a deep breath of the cold air and realizes he is at the temple where he had been abandoned. 

He can feel himself weakening further and further the longer the power remains within him. Before he had been unstoppable—but it is much harder to hold this power back, than it is to take it in. 

There's a rumble rushing under the ice beneath his hands, and he glances up to see what's left of Laufey's army rushing towards him across the snow. He pulls himself to his feet, feeling a burst of power pulse across his arm. The Tesseract's show of support. 

Loki grins then, watching the frost giants approach. He can do nothing to them without first giving himself over to the Tesseract. He is, at the moment, entirely powerless.

Except for the one talent nothing could take from him: Loki is an expert at the bluff.

The army stops twenty feet from him, standing still in line like statues built from the snow. Only one of the giants approaches, and he only does so cautiously. _Býleistr,_ the Tesseract supplies into his mind, _your brother by blood._

"You are the traitor prince," Býleistr says, sneering down at him. 

"Which side do you consider me traitor to?" Loki asks curiously. Býleistr is not so tall as Laufey was, and Loki's eyes are level with his chest. "The home I gave my allegiance to, or the one I never knew?" 

"The answer to that question may well depend on how you answer mine. What have you done with the King?" Býleistr demands.

"I have killed him," Loki says simply. "As well as all the others you sent with him. Midgard is protected. You will not go there again." 

A murmuring picks up behind Býleistr as the soldiers talk amongst themselves, and it sounds like a coming wind. Loki grins. "You do not believe me?" he asks, and flips his wrist around. He creates a small glowing blue ball in his hand, a parlor trick that would hardly hurt someone of Býleistr's size at all. But Loki's eyes give nothing of his weakness away. "Perhaps you require a demonstration?" 

"I believe you," Býleistr says, his eyes narrowing. "If only because I felt my father die. Where is the Tesseract?" 

"It is within me," Loki says. 

"Within you?" Býleistr laughs. "You are so small, you could not hold it." 

"You know your father is dead by my hand," Loki says. "Just how do you think I did it?" 

Býleistr pauses, looking uncertain. Loki's lips hitch upwards in a grin. "I brought him to his knees with a move of my hand," he says, leaning forward like he's sharing a secret. "I ripped your army to shreds, and I could do it again." 

"What do you want?" Býleistr demands. "Why are you here?" 

"I may have the power of the Tesseract, but I do not want it," Loki says. "I want nothing of this world. It is not mine." 

Býleistr watches him warily. "What exactly are you suggesting?" 

"I'm suggesting giving it back," Loki says. 

"You will return this power to me?" Býleistr asks in disbelief.

"I would be doing you no favors if I did that." Loki laughs. "It would burn you from the inside out. The Tesseract does not want you, but it does wish to return to its home. I will give it back, if you will give me your word you will hold to the truce with Asgard." 

He feels the Tesseract give a warning shock of power around his heart, though he lets nothing show. He tries to calm it, promising he will set it free whatever Býleistr says. But Loki is not one to give up a chance like this, and if he can broker peace between both the people and the power of Jotunhiem all at once, they might never have need of another war. 

"I do not understand," Býleistr after a moment. "It is our power. How can it not want us? Why would it want you?" 

"Because we were both unwanted," Loki says. "If you ever want Jotunhiem restored, I suggest you take my offer." 

"You have my word as King, so long as you hold to yours," Býleistr says. "What do you need me to do?" 

"Take your army and give me space," Loki says, turning his attention away from them as he feels them back away. Loki kneels down, taking the hand bound with Frigga's magic and placing it on the ice. He closes his eyes and the bracelet cracks apart as the power floods out of him into the ground. 

The ice splits open, thin blue lines moving traveling outwards before blinking out. The dead, blue glow of the planet slowly fades to be replaced by bright white snow. Sprigs of winter vines spin upwards out of the ice, winding themselves around the temple spires. 

Loki carefully pulls his hand away from the ice. He can feel the ground pulse beneath him now like it is something alive, the power wrapping around the world to make it thrive. He looks up and sees Býleistr glaring across at him. 

Loki doubts the fool realizes what a gift he's been given, but this is not the brother that he wants. 

He flashes one last grin before turning his back on him. The doors open to him once more—and this time, they lead everywhere. 

He goes through the one that will take him home.

* * * * *

Loki's own power is restored now that it is not occupied holding back the Tesseract, so his exit back on Asgard is far more graceful than it had been on Jotunhiem. He steps out into the hall outside the vault, not quite wanting to appear beside the shattered remains of the Casket. He glances through the still broken doors but his parents are no longer there.

He wants to find Steve, but he can feel his mother's magic calling out to his, and he knows better than to leave her waiting. 

She meets him at the door of the throne room, pulling him into a tight hug. "I was so worried," she whispers, before pulling him back to examine him. "Are you alright? Is it gone?" 

"I am myself again," Loki says. "For whatever's that worth." 

Frigga grins wryly. "You know very well how much you are worth." 

Odin steps up behind them. "How did it go on Jotunhiem?" he asks. Always a King first, Loki thinks wryly. He doesn't know if Thor will be a better or worse King, for being first always a son and brother. 

"The Tesseract has spread out across Jotunhiem, and their new King claims they will hold to a truce," Loki says. 

"You do not sound very certain," Odin says.

"It is not in my nature to be certain of anything," Loki says. "But things went as well as they could have."

"Well, I think it's wonderful," Frigga says. "And cause for celebration. We will have a feast." 

"Mother," Loki starts. 

"Your friend is of course welcome to stay as long as he likes," Frigga continues, ignoring Odin's narrow-eyed glance. 

"Mother—" Loki tries again. 

"I'll hear nothing of it," Frigga says. "You're tired and you must eat. We might as well—" 

"I'm not staying," Loki breaks in softly.

"Don't be absurd," Frigga says, spinning to face him. "Of course you're staying. It's in your honor." 

Odin watches his son carefully. He can see the resolve there, and he knows what he's planning. "He cannot stay, because I have given him a new assignment," Odin says carefully. "He is to be our ambassador on Midgard." 

Loki glances at his father gratefully, realizing this is probably as close to approval from the King that he will ever get. 

"Midgard," Frigga laughs, looking over at Odin in surprise. "Certainly not."

"It's where I'm needed," Loki says.

"You're needed here," Frigga denies instantly. "I need you here." 

Loki knows that whatever circumstances brought him here, this is his mother. She has raised and taught him, protected him and sheltered him. He would do absolutely anything for her, even give up this chance to be free. 

"If that is your wish," Loki says, swallowing hard. "Of course I will stay." 

Frigga goes still, looking heartbroken for a moment before she washes it away with a smile. She walks back to Loki, and places a hand on his cheek. 

"Your heart longs for the Earth," she says. "What sort of mother would I be, if I did not tell you to follow it?" 

"So you are not angry with me?" Loki asks. 

"Of course not," she says. "You are grown now, and must make your own decisions. And so must you also face the consequences of them." 

"Mother?" he questions hesitantly. 

"Well, someone has to tell your brother," she explains, giving him a quick parting kiss on the forehead. "And it's certainly not going to be me."

* * * * *

Loki finds Thor in the healing chamber, sitting in the chair beside the empty bed. The healing field has been shut down with its occupant absent, and the room is strangely sterile and cold without it.

"Thor," Loki says gently. 

Thor looks up in surprise, a huge smile breaking out across his face as he sees his brother. He jumps to his feet and drags Loki into hug. "Brother," he says, loud enough to make Loki wince. "I had feared you lost." 

"I'm fine," Loki assures him. 

Thor pulls away and glares at him. "You are not to do that again." 

"Thor—" 

"No," Thor shouts, his eyes darkening as he turns away, getting himself back under control. "You do not shut me out like that. Not ever again. Say it." 

"It was not your fight," Loki says. 

"If it involved you, it was my fight," Thor snaps. "You talk about father and how he keeps his plans from us, how he manipulates us the way he wants—and always, Loki, this is what you do to me. I cannot protect you if I don't understand the threat." 

"I did not understand it myself," Loki admits. "How could I explain?" 

"You should have tried," Thor says, softening slightly. "I would have helped."

"You cannot fix everything for me," Loki says gently. "There are some battles I must fight myself." 

"You would have died had you been left to fight this yourself," Thor snarls. "But then that's what you wanted, am I right?" 

Loki looks away, unused to Thor being quite this perceptive. "I never wanted to die," he says, and that much at least is true. 

"Do not do it again," Thor says again. "Promise, brother." 

"I will promise to tell you the next time I am in trouble, if you promise something in return," Loki says. 

"What is that?" Thor asks. 

"That you must not interfere if I ask you not to," Loki says. 

"You cannot possibly expect me to promise that," Thor says incredulously.

"Now you know how I feel about what you've asked of me," Loki says wryly. "Because if I tell you then I will not be able to protect you. It goes both ways. You don't just get to protect me."

Thor glares at him but nods. "I shall just have to keep a closer eye on you then," he decides. 

"You're welcome to try, but I will not be here," Loki says. "Father is sending me to Midgard." He sees Thor's anger simmer for a moment, and Loki does not feel any remorse for redirecting it towards their father. 

"So be it," Thor decides. "I will come with you."

"Father nears the Odinsleep," Loki says patiently. "You are needed here." 

"Then when I am King, I will command you to return," Thor says smugly.

"And you are welcome to try your best to imprison me, when I disobey," Loki says wryly. "I will return when I am ready, and not before." 

"This is about that mortal," Thor says, his tone going dangerous. "He has bewitched you." 

"He has, though not in the way you mean," Loki says. "I like Midgard, Thor. I like the people. I feel like it is where I am meant to be." 

"You are meant to be here," Thor snaps. "You are my brother." 

"Yes," Loki agrees, without hesitation. "And I always will be, wherever I may be." 

Thor turns away, his lips pursed in concentration. "I will visit you often," he decides. "And you will return here at least once a month." 

"I promise to try my best to do so," Loki says. 

Thor glares at him. "I do not like it," he decides. 

"We need to figure out who we are without each other, Thor," Loki says gently. "If we'd continued on as we were…"

"What?" Thor demands. 

"It's nothing," Loki decides, frowning slightly. He does not quite know how to explain the feeling he has, that they might not have been parting on such good terms if things had gone just a little differently. "I just think it will be good for us." 

"Do you really love that mortal?" Thor asks quietly. 

"Love is a variable that is impossible for one to measure," Loki says. 

Thor grins wryly. "I should have known better than to expect a straight answer out of you, brother," he says. "I hope Steve knows what he's getting himself into."

"He's been inside my head," Loki reminds him. "And survived." 

"Perhaps you have met your match, after all," Thor decides.

* * * * *

Frigga had given Steve one of Asgard's most opulent suites. Loki finds him sitting on the edge of the oversized bed, staring out the window. There is a view of the outermost edge of the city and the bridge, where it stretches out beyond it.

He looks up in surprise as Loki leans in the doorway. 

"You're back," Steve says, pushing to his feet. 

"Yes," Loki says. "It appears as though it truly wasn't my time to die." 

Steve steps closer to him, keeping careful watch on Loki's eyes. "Is it gone?" he asks.

"Yes," Loki says. "Thanks to you."

"I didn't do anything," Steve says. "We both know you could have made it out of there without me." 

"Perhaps," Loki says. "But I’m not quite certain that I would have tried." 

Steve glances away. "So what happens now?"

"You made me an offer," Loki reminds him. "I wonder if you meant it." 

Steve frowns for a moment. "To come with me to Earth?" he asks. "You would do that?" 

"You sound surprised," Loki says. 

Steve laughs slightly, before motioning to the window. "This place is pretty hard to compete with," he says. 

"Asgard will always be my home," Loki says. "It will forever be in my heart—but I do not need to forever be within it." 

"You'll be bored on Earth," Steve worries. 

"Your Fury thought I might have a place amongst your _Avengers_ ," he says. "You don't agree?" 

"You want to be an Avenger?" Steve asks, his eyes lighting up at the thought. "Really? Because—" 

Loki pushes forward, kissing Steve quiet. "I want to be with you," he corrects, pulling back slightly. "If you think I can belong there." 

Steve huffs out a laugh, pressing his forehead against Loki's. "We've got a scientist that turns into a huge green beast, a genius billionaire with a self-destructive streak, a couple of assassins and a man out of his time," Steve says. "You'll fit right in." 

"Then let us go," Loki decides, reaching out for Steve's hand. 

"To the Bifrost?" Steve asks hesitantly. 

Loki throws him a wicked grin. "Do you trust me?" 

"This never ends well," Steve says with a wince. 

"You can say no," Loki reminds him, even as he weaves their hands together. "I will not hold it against you."

Steve braces himself. "Yes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Up: The day of Thor's coronation has finally arrived. It's not so much an end, as a new beginning.


	9. Epilogue

_The day of Thor's coronation finally arrives._

_Loki cannot quite comprehend the difference these last few months have made—that he had first had all of his worst suspicions about himself confirmed, only to let all of his anger and jealousy go at nearly the same time._

_He did not realize it until now, but he had never thought he would live to see his brother King._

_Crowned, certainly, but not a King._

_There is an empty space on the steps where Loki is supposed to be, but he grins as he leans against the back wall of the throne room. He has missed the introductions and all his cues, but he has made it in time to watch the crown get passed down, and he much prefers watching from the shadows in any case._

_Let Thor have his light—Loki no longer needs it._

_There is plenty enough sun on Midgard for everyone._

* * * * *

Steve Rogers is hardly unused to the unusual, but life with Loki Odinson isn't anything like he expects. Loki takes up the mantle as one of the Avengers, but he doesn't ever stop being himself. He can easily destroy almost any malicious villain, though he's become just as known for brokering truces with those that interest him.

He had once gone directly up to Victor von Doom during the middle of a battle to question him on the singular integration design of magic and robotics used to make his DoomBots. 

The strangest thing about it, perhaps, had been that Doom had stopped fighting to accommodate him. Fury had needed to send in Steve to pry Loki away from his meeting of the minds with Doom before he gave the super-villain any ideas. 

At times like that Steve would remember exactly what he had gotten himself into. Then there were the other times—when Loki would be delighted by the strangest things, like a fireworks display or a ball point pen.

Loki had taken to their world rather well, all things considered. It was a constant source of amusement to Tony that Loki fit in better than Steve.

Steve thinks that might be debatable, but Loki certainly fit in better on Earth than the Avengers did on Asgard. 

He sighs as he watches Bruce trying to surreptitiously scan pretty much anything he can with his supped-up Starkphone, while Tony tries to hit on an Asgardian warrior woman that's about two heads taller and nearly twice as wide. He'll keep an eye on that, but if it comes to a fight Steve decides Tony's on his own. 

Natasha and Clint would almost be the ones he doesn't worry about, except believing that has gotten him into trouble more than once. They stand back to back, their wary eyes surveying the Asgardians with distrust. Steve had forced them to give up about three weapons each before going in the Biforst, which meant they still had at least twelve left between them. 

"Stop being a soldier," Loki whispers in his ear. "They can do no harm here." 

"They could do plenty," Steve says, narrowing his eyes at them all. "Why did you want to bring us again?" 

"Because of all the things you can do," Loki says, his tone bordering on gleeful as he watches the Asgardians trying to navigate their way around the mortals. 

"You just like to cause trouble," Steve accuses. 

"It is a talent," Loki admits. "I had much worse things planned for Thor's coronation the first time around. Believe me, this is nothing. They're getting off easy."

"And we're very glad to hear it," Frigga says wryly, coming up behind them on Odin's arm. "Loki, darling, you're late." 

"I arrived just exactly in time," Loki denies. "Right before Thor was crowned, and just after his speech." 

"It was a good speech, brother," Thor booms, appearing out of nowhere to throw his arm around him. "You should have been there. I spoke very well." 

"I'm sure your elocution was as precise as always," Loki says. "If not necessarily the arrangement of your chosen words." 

"Well, it is of no matter." Thor grins at him happily, though Loki suspects he's caught the insult and simply does not mind it. "You are here now, and you have brought your friends!" 

"Thor, you're needed in the banquet hall," Fandral calls. "We are about to have another toast!" 

"I will be right there," Thor yells back, before turning to Loki. "I would speak with you before you leave, if you are able." 

"You are crowned now," Loki says. "You could simply command it." 

"Loki," Thor sighs. "I am asking as your brother." 

"Then as your brother, I promise to make every effort possible," Loki says, his voice infused with a sincerity so genuine it might well have been false. 

"Good." Thor grins. "Then let us drink!" 

Frigga watches Thor go with long-suffering amusement, before turning back to her younger son. "Must you be cruel to your brother even on his coronation?" she chides.

"It's not as though anyone else would dare to do it," Loki replies, taking a flute of ambrosia from the table beside him. "It'll do him some good." 

"I will not fight with you today," Frigga says wryly. "If only because I fear you may be right." 

Frigga pauses as she notices Odin tense, and glances over at him. He and Loki had never quite resolved the rift that had grown between them. For all of her son's brilliant way with words, he never seemed to use his charm on Odin anymore—something had happened, when he found out he was adopted, and he's stopped trying to win Odin's approval altogether. 

Frigga fears it is because he no longer believes it to be something he can attain, and Odin is all but useless in providing reassurance. Frigga has tried countless times to explain to Loki that his origin does not matter, that he is just as much their son as Thor. She thinks he believes she believes it, but that he does not quite trust Odin to think the same. 

It might not have been an issue if Loki had remained on Asgard, where Odin could at least display through his actions that nothing had changed—but her son was determined to play hero on Midgard, a pastime she would have thought Thor more suited to than Loki. 

Though she wonders if she would have been wrong, because her son looks happy in a way she can't remember seeing for centuries. The mischievous glint in his eyes is playful again, instead of malicious—his tricks haven't changed, but perhaps the intent behind them has. 

"Steve," Frigga says pleasantly. "I need another drink. Would you escort me?" 

Odin flashes her a wary glance, but Loki just smirks because he is well aware of what she is doing. She smiles sweetly at them both. 

"Of course," Steve says obligingly, and she lets go of Odin to take his arm and lead him away. 

"I think your mother wishes us to talk," Odin says. 

"It's almost as though she doesn't know very well that it is our preferred method of battle," Loki says. 

"I do not wish to fight with you," Odin protests. "Though I do wonder if you had to bring quite so many of your 'Avengers' with you here." 

"They are my family," Loki says simply. 

"They are mortal," Odin disagrees. 

"I have it on rather good authority that family is more than simple blood," Loki says slyly. "Wouldn't you agree?" 

Odin watches Loki steadily, and Loki's smile fades under his gaze. He has never been very good at withstanding his father's attention. "Will you never forgive me?" 

"It's very unlike a King to ask for forgiveness," Loki says. 

"I am no longer King," Odin says. "The crown has passed to your brother." 

"You will always be King," Loki denies. "The crown does not do nearly so much as the head that wears it." 

"Can you not give me a straight answer?" Odin asks softly. 

"I could, but I learned from my father a long time ago how to evade them," Loki says. "He taught me never to give my emotions away." 

"Then he was a fool," Odin says. "And you should forgive him." 

Loki turns his sharp green eyes at his father, assessing him slowly. "If that is true, then it is only by a fool's wisdom that I have survived." 

"Look at us," Odin says, grinning wryly. "We cannot admit our feelings even now. Instead we speak in riddles." 

"There is nothing wrong with a riddle, father," Loki says, and raises his glass. "So long as its meaning is understood."

* * * * *

"How do you like Asgard?" Frigga asks, as she leads Steve just to the edges of the banquet. "I hope this stay has been more pleasant than your last."

"It's amazing, ma'am," Steve says. 

Frigga watches him with amusement. "You may call me Frigga," she says. "You are, after all, practically family." 

Steve reddens slightly, trying to shrug it off as he glances back to do a quick mental inventory of his teammates and their positions. "Frigga then," he says politely. 

"Do I make you nervous?" she asks slyly. "Loki has assured me you are an extremely powerful warrior, and I have seen you brave the heart of the Tesseract itself." 

"No, it's not that," Steve says, sounding apologetic. "This is just sort of overwhelming. I didn't really get to take it in last time I was here, and Loki, he's just—he's so different from Thor, and I don't think I really considered him part of this place until now." 

Steve swallows hard and looks away. "I just can't help feeling that Loki belongs here. That I'm taking him from his destiny—" he trails off. 

"You have taken him from his destiny," Frigga agrees easily. "It's the thing I like most about you." 

Steve looks up in surprise. "What?" he asks. 

"You have nothing to prove to us, Captain Rogers," Frigga says. "You have already given to me all the proof I need of your worth." 

"Thank you," he says quietly. "But I know you don't approve, you know, of Loki and I, and—" 

"Who says I do not approve?" Frigga asks curiously. 

"Well, it's just sort of assumed, I guess," Steve says. "By pretty much everyone." 

"Your friend who wears the Iron," Frigga decides.

"Mostly, yeah," Steve says wryly. 

"I would be a fool not to approve of you," Frigga says after a moment. "You make my son happy, and I do not think you truly understand how remarkable a thing that is—fate has been nipping at Loki's heels his entire life, trying to drag him into the dark. You brought him out into the light." 

Frigga eyes assess Steve carefully, and he finally forces himself to meet them head on. He hadn't found it hard to believe that Thor and Loki were not blood-related, but he does not think he would have ever suspected Frigga was not Loki's birth mother. Her eyes have that same depthless intelligence that sinks into his mind, ghosting across his soul and cataloguing everything that is found there in case she may need it again. 

Steve had been so worried about coming here to meet the King, but he's starting to suspect he should have been far more worried about Asgard's Queen. 

"I owe you more than I can ever repay," Frigga assures him. "However, that does not mean I should not try. Ask for something—anything—and I will do my best to give it to you." 

"There's nothing I need," Steve says at once. "But thank you all the same." 

"You did not even hesitate." Frigga's lips twitch upwards. "Gold is valuable on your world, is it not? We have so much of it that it is woven into our clothes. You could have asked for that." 

"I don't mean to offend you," Steve assures her, holding her gaze. "But the only thing I want from this world is Loki." 

"That is a very good answer," Frigga says. "I cannot give him to you, but then I suspect he is already yours." 

"I don't know if he'll ever belong to anyone," Steve says, smiling slightly. "But I'll take what I can get." 

"I am very glad my son found you," Frigga says, though she knows, Loki always would—what had worried her was what would happen then. She turns, shaking the visions away, and smiles at Steve again. "Though it would be nice if our son were to visit us sometime. Thor had received some semblance of a promise that he would do so, but with Loki there is always a way out of a promise. I would give anything to see my son for dinner at least once in one of your months." 

"I'll speak to him," Steve says. "I certainly wouldn't mind visiting here again." 

"You are of course welcome any time," Frigga says at once. "Even Odin would have no objection to your presence, though he is wary of some of your friends." 

"I'm wary of some of my friends," Steve says. 

"You should be wary of all of them," Loki says, as he wanders back over to join them. "They're wildly unpredictable. It's why I like them so much." 

Steve half rolls his eyes as Frigga watches her son with long-suffering fondness. "How did it go with your father?" she asks. There was no reason to dance around the subject with Loki—he was much too good at it. 

"We wept like children in each other's arms," Loki says flatly. 

"You think you're being clever." Frigga stares him down. "But I have long known how to see through your lies, to the truth that lay behind them." 

"Think you could teach that trick to me?" Steve asks. 

"It's his eyes," Frigga says, ignoring Loki's frustrated glance. "They never lie."

"Not everyone sees so clearly as you, mother," Loki reminds her. 

"Perhaps not," Frigga says knowingly. "However, I think you'll find that your chosen is up to the task." 

Loki glances between his mother and Steve in concern. "I do not know how I feel about the two of you getting along," he decides. "I feel as though I should be worried."

"Turnabout is fair-play, is that not one of your new sayings?" Frigga laughs at him. "And you've certainly worried me enough to last the next millennia." 

"She wants us to come to dinner once a month," Steve explains. "I told her that would be great." 

"You told her—" Loki narrows his eyes. "We can hardly afford to make plans. Your tiny little world is plagued with all sorts of villainy, and I have sworn to protect it." 

"We can take a night off once and awhile," Steve decides. 

"It's so nice to have someone reasonable to speak with," Frigga says. "It is decided." 

"I can't believe you've been plotting against me," Loki says. 

"Well, darling, I can hardly let you have all the fun," Frigga says, kissing him quickly on his temple before walking off to find her husband.

* * * * *

Loki had stayed at Thor's celebrations for as long as he could. He had lifted his glass along with the others, and tolerated the many stories of Thor's feats—most of them, he'd noted, heavily revised—and he had been on his best behavior. Then Asgard had begun to press in on him in a way it never had before. Thor, the Warriors Three, Sif, of course, had all made him feel like this in the past, but their attitudes towards him had somewhat changed.

Asgard itself was as unchangeable as the stones that it was built of. 

Steve senses it and grabs his wrist, tugging him out onto one of the balconies. They sit down together by the edge, looking out over Asgard. 

"Should we slip away home, do you think?" Loki asks

"And leave the rest of the Avengers on Asgard?" Steve asks incredulously. "They'd level the place." 

Loki shrugs, pressing his forehead against the railing to look down. The drop is a long-way down, though the grounds of the palace glitter deceptively like it wouldn't hurt. That was the trouble with Asgard. It lied so well Loki was branded a trickster when mostly he'd just told the truth. 

"It's just so strange being back," Loki says. "I'm closer to my family than ever but this place—" 

"We don't have to come back," Steve says quietly. "If you don't want to, we won't. I just thought maybe it would be good for you." 

"You're probably right," Loki says. "But I've rarely done what's good for me." 

"That's what you've got me for," Steve says. "So dinner with the parents then, alright? What do I need to know? And should I bring my shield?" 

There is a laugh behind them, and they look up to see Thor. "You should indeed, Steve," Thor says. "I have often thought to brave the darkness of Svartalfheim rather than face a royal dinner." 

Steve tenses. "Is King Odin that terrifying?" 

"Father?" Thor laughs. "It is my brother that causes the trouble." 

"Did you need something?" Loki asks, glaring up at him. 

Thor's grin slips. "I was hoping we could speak." 

Steve clears his throat and climbs to his feet. "Well, I better go make sure Tony hasn't snuck off to try and break into the vault." He looks back at Loki carefully. "Just come find me when you're ready, okay? And we'll go home." 

Loki nods and Thor drops down beside him, clumsily taking Steve's place. 

"Home?" Thor asks quietly. "Is this not still your home?" 

"Are we meant to have only one?" Loki asks. "If we are, then is not mine on Jotunhiem?" 

"Why is it you always answer questions with questions, when you know very well what it is I mean?" Thor asks, glancing back at him. "Are you ever coming back?" 

"Are you asking if we are ever going to be like we were?" Loki asks. "I certainly hope not. Don't you?" 

"You're doing it again," Thor says. "Please at least answer me this, Loki. Are you happy on Midgard? With Steve?" 

"Yes," Loki says softly. "Perhaps for the first time in my life." 

Thor looks wounded. "Have I been such a horrible brother?" 

"You were pretty awful," Loki says, as he nudges Thor to soften the truth. "But then, so was I." 

Thor purses his lips, pulling slightly away. He looks out over Asgard and Loki frowns, unused to his brother not pushing back. They had their own way of verbal sparring—Loki would tease him and Thor would blunder on ahead ignoring him, not half as oblivious as he would like everyone to think. 

"Thor, what is the matter?" Loki asks. "What did you wish to speak to me about?" 

"I had been planning to ask you to stay," Thor says. 

Loki goes tense, swallowing hard as he wraps a hand around the banister. Thor winces and looks away, because Loki looks like he's just been challenged for battle. 

"I don't think I have the heart to ask it of you now," Thor continues. "As much as I worry I cannot do this alone." 

"Cannot do what alone? Rule?" Loki asks. "Thor, you have been raised for this. You have been meant for this your entire life, and you have never been afraid of anything." 

"I know how much you have been through, Loki, by learning who you are," Thor says. "I do not mean to claim my circumstances are near to yours, but I am not the same person that I was. I have changed too." 

"I know you have," Loki says. "Do you think I would let you become King, if you were not ready?" 

"No, I don't suppose you would," Thor says, smiling sadly. "Perhaps I am ready, but am I worthy?" 

"If you've learned enough to question it, then you are," Loki says. 

"It is not so ago I would not have questioned it. I always thought I understood what was needed of me, but things have never been what they seemed," Thor says.

"The people of Asgard are your primary concern and they are as they have always been," Loki says. "For better or worse they have not changed. What are you truly worrying over?" 

"I just keep thinking of our childhood," Thor says. "Do you remember when Freyja's necklace was lost in the wilds of Asgard? Father sent us to recover the Brísingamen from the caverns by the lake, and promised a feast in the honor of whoever should find it first. I did not realize at the time that it was a test. But you did." 

"Of course it was a test. It is always a test," Loki says. "Thor—" 

"I think that was when things started to change between us," Thor says quietly. "I think it was the first time we were on opposite sides." 

"I remember," Loki says, trying to cut the story off in its tracks. Thor won't let him. 

"I left before you were awake," Thor says. "I fought my way through the Bilgesnip to the cavern Freyja thought she had left it. I was injured and tired and triumphant, because I had reached it first." 

"Why are you thinking of this _now_?" Loki demands. 

"Because I don't think I've ever told this story right," Thor says. "I always thought myself the hero of it." 

"You are always the hero of the story," Loki says. 

"How could I have been? You were the one to truly reach it first," Thor says. "You had followed the trails of its magic and crept through the cavern unnoticed. You were halfway to the city with it when I found you." 

Thor looks over at his brother with regret. "I thought myself so cheated and believed I was justified in my anger. I turned it all on you and I expected—I don't know what I expected, for you to agree, for you to gladly turn the necklace over to me." He laughs. "I was so surprised that you were angry, too." 

"I was always angry then," Loki says. "That was just the day I tired of pretending that I wasn't." 

"I couldn't understand then why you would be, but I realize now it was because you had not cheated at all. You always just did everything so swiftly, and with such ease, that none of us could accept it as anything but a cheat." 

"I was cheating, Thor," Loki says. "It's the only way I know how to win." 

"Sometimes I think you were always the most honest of us all," Thor contradicts. "I still remember when you threw that necklace at my feet and told me to take it. You had this look in your eyes like you could destroy me with but a thought. Even with the Tesseract wrapping itself around your mind, you did not look at me like that." 

"It is in the past," Loki says. "And I never tried to destroy you, you got the necklace in the end and the feast was in your honor and not mine. It went just as it always did. There is no reason to worry over it now." 

"But I do. I fear that I have never appreciated your talents properly." His brother looks away, his blue eyes holding a seriousness that did not suit them. "I never told you for fear of speaking it aloud, but I had a dream that night that we were enemies." 

"I think maybe we were," Loki says. "I thought I wanted what you had."

"If you want the crown, brother, you only have to ask," Thor says. "I would give it to you." 

"You really would, wouldn't you?" Loki laughs. "Perhaps you haven't learned as much as I thought." He turns his eyes back towards the water. "Father may have said we were both born to be Kings, but I was never meant for a throne. My mistake was thinking what I was meant for was something less—but we each have our parts to play." 

"And what is yours?" Thor asks. 

"I'm not sure yet," Loki says, and grins. "But I think I'm going to enjoy searching it out."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone that stuck with me this so far! I hope you enjoyed the story.

**Author's Note:**

> * Níu Heimar, Nine Worlds in Old Norse. 
> 
> * The Quest for Surtur's sword is borrowed from _Tales of Asgard_.


End file.
